


When Approaching an Ancient

by Abby_Ebon



Series: Time, Space, and Dimensions [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-05
Updated: 2012-07-05
Packaged: 2017-11-09 05:44:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 40,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/452008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abby_Ebon/pseuds/Abby_Ebon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things go wrong when suns explode near the TARDIS...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Doctor Meets General Hammond

_: A Brief Introduction to Time Lord Pre-History :_

_The Time Lords were exceptionally advanced when they were still around but it hadn't always been that way. In their early introduction into the universe they found four other advanced races._

_The ones that they admired most and their greatest alleys the Ancients who looked most like the Time Lords. Their companions were lower life forms from their adopted home world known as the Tau'ri. Who later fascinated one of the Time Lords known as the Doctor._

_The second were the_ _Asgard_ _, and due to their own genetic manipulation they were short with thin arms and legs, large heads, small mouths, and delicate noses, with black bulging eyes, and a grey pallor of skin._

_The other two were the Nox who also resembled the Ancients though their features were softer and hair wilder they were the most peaceful and kindly of these races._

_The Gadmeer were the most unusual for their biological needs were vastly different then the other three they were lizard like with reptilian scales and a whip like tails._

_However when these four races alliance themselves, so too did their enemies. They introduced a plague to the Ancients- which would kill them, without them the Asgard forgot their warnings of DNA._

_Then they were forced to do battle with the Replicators and now searched for a way to undo what they had done to their bodies. Predictably the Nox and Gadmeer the most peaceful secluded themselves to their home worlds._

_The Gadmeer however, realized their world was gone and no other would be suitable for a very long time. Thus they entrusted their survival to their ship hoping it in latter years could terraform a suitable planet in the near future._

_It was then the Time Lords fell in the Time Wars. With no dominate race the galaxy fell to the Goa'uld._

* * *

The Doctor was fiddling with the TARDIS yet again. Secretly amused by this, Rose watched the Doctor work- she didn't think the TARDIS was broke or even needed fiddling with. But whenever she tried to tell this to the Doctor he mumbled about 'stupid apes' and such.

Really though she thought he just needed something to take his mind off everything he had done in his 900 years. Though she wouldn't dare tell him that, he was very cranky when he didn't have something to fiddle with.

The TARDIS suddenly jerked and unprepared for the unexpected motion Rose hit her head and blacked out from the pain.

She woke to the Doctor hovering over her and an annoying screeching alarm of the TARDIS's with flashing lights, which she had never heard before or seen before.

"Are you alright Rose?" The Doctor asked, gentle hands helping her sit up and smoothing her hair down. Apparently she had given him quite a scare; she nodded searching his face for a hint over what was happening.

"Where are we?" Rose asked, feeling well enough to talk but not well enough to try to sit up yet. She rubbed her forehead and winched when the alarm didn't have mercy on her ears.

"Don't know- haven't looked out of the TARDIS yet, but I know the alarm isn't the TARDIS's, though the lights are hers." The Doctor said softly glancing at the door.

"What did we hit?" Rose asked feeling along her forehead for bumps or worse blood, she found none though. The Doctor sighed leaning back, his face a mix of confusion- and not a little amount of annoyance.

"Apparently- we didn't hit anything, we felt a distant shockwave of a sun flaring and exploding." The Doctor answered, and Rose was very glad they hadn't been close enough to get worse then a bad lurch and banged head. Turning concerned eyes on her the Doctor got to his feet, and Rose lifted her hands to him so he could help pull her off the floor.

"Are you sure you want to try walking you got banged up pretty bad." The Doctor said softly and Rose wobbled the world tilting dangerously and she finally took full inventory of her injures.

Her wrist ached and was starting to burse, her shoulder felt as if had been jolted out of the socket, and her chest ached probably because of having the air knocked out of them one to many times.

"I'll be fine Doctor; I just need to find some way to turn off that damned alarm." Rose muttered as with the Doctor's help she made her way to the door.

"It's funny," The Doctor murmured as he opened the door and walked out, holding the door open for Rose. "I've only heard alarms this bad in military bases." He finished his statement his attention was on Rose's injures so he did not notice Rose's face pale as she faced whatever was beyond him.

"Doctor..." Rose voice was as breathy and scared as it had been when she stared death in the face- the Doctor stiffened and turned to see what danger they had landed in.

He was met by more guns then he'd ever come face to face with, he put his hands up and plastered a stupid grin on his face, while ensuring Rose was behind him. She was human and while it might hurt him he could regenerate- Rose couldn't when she was gone she wasn't coming back.

"Hello, just passing through. Sorry for the inconvenience, anyone happen to know where the nearest hospital is or the nearest bathroom- maybe?" The Doctor babbled, the soldiers looked like American ones, so that babbling endlessly probably wasn't going to work with them.

"Who are you?" Interrupted a balding man, which was good that meant they weren't going to shoot first and ask questions later. He was probably the one in charge of this group and answering him would most definitely be a good thing.

"My name's the Doctor- the lovely lady behind me, who's rather injured at the moment- is Rose. What's yours?" The Doctor finished keeping most of his attention on the group in front of him.

The rest of his mind was scrabbling for a way to shove Rose into the TARDIS without getting either of them shot and get the heck out of here. That however was probably imposable at the moment.

"General Hammond, in charge of the SGC base you're standing in." Hammond seemed like the good sort and hadn't asked what he was a Doctor of- which always amused him when he told the humans his name.

"Pleased to meet you, now my arms are getting kind of tired- but I can assure you neither of us is armed." The Doctor said watching the soldier's expressions.

It probably wasn't everyday an old blue police box showed up out of nowhere yet they didn't seem too surprised then again judging by the calm tone of voice Hammond had used they were probably used to strange things.

"Stand down men, now how did you get here?" Hammond asked though the Doctor knew he would have no issues with ordering his men to shoot them. Which is what these lads- and lasses too surprisingly, looked like they wanted to do.

"The little blue box behind me of course- called a TARDIS though. Goes through time and space- anywhere or when you want to go to it'll take me. Although it does seem to have issues with sun's exploding near it." The Doctor knew he should have probably held his tongue but Hammond seemed to trust him.

"Where do you come from?" Hammond asked, the Doctor glanced at Rose, her face was pale and she looked green. The Doctor decided that if they were going to shoot them they would have and he let Rose to grip his jacket as she swayed and battled the urge to heave.

"Rose is 18, picked her up in the 21 Century, Earth in England." The Doctor answered wondering how to explain himself. Rose was obviously not as okay as she had led him to believe.

Or perhaps it was too much excitement after just hurting herself. Probably why he was answering all these questions- that and they had them cornered and he really didn't want to loose Rose- or regenerate himself.

"And you're self?" Hammond questioned, the Doctor gave in to the urge to look bitter and self loathing, though Rose wouldn't allow him that indulgence very long after she recovered. She would probably make him go shopping with her.

"My home world was destroyed." Maybe it was the expression of pain worse then they could know or Rose hanging onto his jacket arm so tightly her knuckles were turning white.

Whatever it was the American's seemed to sympathize with him and decide unanimously that while they didn't trust him just yet they wouldn't hold him at gun point. Of which the Doctor was grateful for, as he really needed to get Rose to a hospital- or at least sitting down.

"Come on lets get her the clinic." On of the soldiers- a girl with a low ponytail insisted stepping foreword to help him with Rose and take them to clinic.

"We will debrief you when your friend is able to walk right." Hammond said as they passed him, the Doctor nodded. For now all his attention was focused on getting his companion back on her feet.


	2. The Doctor's Interrogation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Encase anyone was curious yes in this fic the Gadmear are the Furlings. Other races call them the Furlings yet they call themselves Gadmear. Rather like the fact that we (mostly) call ourselves Earthlings- yet in the SG-1 verse other races call us Tau'ri. Or that the Stargate is known as the Chaapa-ai to the Jaffa.

In retrospect, the Doctor had to wonder why he felt the urge to tell them so much to a group of unknown soldiers. However to be truthful he hadn't been thinking about the soldiers- he had been more worried about Rose at the time.

Though now that Rose was safely tucked into a bed in the clinic, there was now plenty of time to brood on the subject of just how much more he should tell these soldiers.

True though, they weren't the average run of the mill soldiers. For one they had reacted far, well- calmer then he would have thought possible for a group of soldiers to react. Especially because the TARDIS had appeared out of 'nowhere', loud noises aside- of course.

Something told him that they had met alien races before. Which made him even more curious- on how much the American's were hiding from the rest of the world- and why.

Though to be fair no human government was exactly truthful when it came to alien races. No matter if they were keeping secretes from the other governments of the world- or even its own people for that matter.

The Doctor was so lost in thought he didn't notice Hammond approach him and tap him on the shoulder. He of course jumped which earned some giggles from the nurses and doctors- who he scowled at.

"Doctor- I'd like you to come with me." Hammond stated, and the Doctor knew there wasn't going to be any arguing from this man. Taking one last look at Rose's unconscious body he followed Hammond to what he assumed was a meeting room.

He assumed this mainly because of the three humans staring at him. They looked fairly average. The oldest was a man with graying hair who looked like he had been through more things then he should have been.

A female with short blond hair and intelligence in her eyes yet still thrilled in discoveries she uncovered. The other younger man with brown hair and glasses looked like a book lover- but hanging out with those two probably meant he at least liked adventure too.

The fourth was most defiantly not human, for one a normal human usually broke under the pain that probably put that gold mark on his head. Which judging from his solemn expression, had happened long before he had met these people.

Second the Doctor could _feel_ something- mostly dormant swimming around the edges of his mental barriers. He had a pretty good idea that the man was where it was originating from- if not the perpetrator.

"Doctor- these four are Colonel Jack O'Neill, Major Samantha Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel Jackson." Hammond introduced him. Giving the four a wide grin he sprawled onto the leather chair.

"Doctor who?" Daniel asked tilting his head curiously; Ms Carter looked as if Daniel had beaten her to the punch line. The Doctor chuckled and spared an uneasy glance at Teal'c. Whose expression had only changed a tiny bit- his eyebrow had raised and then lowed at the Doctor's lack of manners.

"Doctor- just Doctor." He replied amused when Daniel and Jack exchanged looks. Hammond was a smart man sitting all of his group on one side and himself on the other- and Hammond sitting at the head of the meeting table.

"Well what are you a Doctor of…Doctor?" Ms Carter apparently didn't like referring to someone by a title and not a name. Maybe it was a Military/Civilian thing, whatever it was O'Neill seemed to agree- based on his expression.

"Not a Doctor of anything in particular. Just a Doctor is all." The Doctor gave them another of his wide grins; he could see the annoyance growing in Carter's eyes.

"Well do you heal people? Know your ancient history?" Daniel asked the Doctor who inwardly applauded Daniel. He was really the first to suggest ancient history as a reason for his self imposed title. Not that he would tell anyone the _real_ reason- he liked being mysterious like that.

"Sometimes both actually," At their annoyed expressions- even Hammond's his grin only grew wider. "But that doesn't matter." He finished and they exchanged puzzled expressions and the Doctor knew it was the right time to drop his bombshell and he leaned foreword to speak.

"What I _really_ want to know is how you lot got your hands on the Alterans technology- _and_ why you're bald friend over there isn't human- or has something that is so alien it makes my skin crawl when I look at him." By the end of his speech their faces had paled, and Teal'c face was blank.

Grinning trumphantly at the fact that he now had them stumped, the Doctor settled back into his chair, for all the world looking like a satisfied and lazy cat that had gotten into the cream.

"By the Alterans technology I assume you mean the race we call the Ancients, and their technology has been on Earth for a long time. Teal'c is a Jaffa, he carries a Goa'uld larvae." Hammond explained and the Doctor frowned.

 _Goa'uld?_ _That sounds oddly familiar_. The Doctor thought into the silence which had grown so uncomfertable that Hammond cleared his throat akwardly.

Drawing his own people's attention to him, the Doctor glanced at him. Wondering absently why the militarary leader hadn't at least been polite and offered cookies and tea- or coffee, some good coffee sounded nice about now.

"You mentioned your world had been distroyed?" Hammond asked, the Doctor felt a familiar cold chill run down his spine and settle into the bottom of his stomach.

So he had mentioned that in passing after all- even if he had been distracted at the time he had thought he had better control over his mouth then that. Judging from their expressions his mask had slipped and his face was as solem as his thoughts.

"Yes, but it happened a long time ago though…" The Doctor murrmered softly his mind elsewhere as the memories swarmed around him. As he relived that day yet agian and felt all the same emotions revive like a blood coming up from a picked scab.

"Are there any but yourself left?" Daniel asked softly, sempathitic to the Doctor's position. After all he had lost his wife- and her planet, which had felt more like home at times then Earth had. The Doctor choaked surprised that the human had got to the core of his problem so quickly.

"No." The Doctor answered curtly, and he knew his eyes were turning colder. They all shifted uncomfertable, well good for them, now they knew how he felt.

"Well got any nifty technology other then that blue police box in the 'Gate room?" O'Niell spoke for the first time, the Doctor shook his head. He was not willing to give up anything of what he had left of his people- even if he didn't know exactly what everything he had did.

"Would you allow us to study it?" Samantha Carter obvously thought she ought to know everything about alien technology a human could know. Well too bad for her Rose knew more then her- and he shook his head.

What was worse then asking for his peoples technology- they had the nerve to want to take apart the TARDIS, _and then_ try to put her back together again.

 _Right not happening_ , he wondered how they'd explain the TARDIS's telepath abilitys- and her soul no less. He snorted and shook his head as if to strenthen his statement and the point.

"No sorry the TARDIS don't need you lot messing about her- have a hard enough keeping her working with missing bits." The Doctor explained trying to take the bite out of his words.

"Doctor how old are you?" Sam asked the question that had been nagging at her sense the Doctor had first stepped into the room. The Doctor grinned- he knew he would have fun with their reactions to the answer.

Even if it was a truthful one…

"About 900 years old now, why do you ask Major Carter?"


	3. The Doctor's Agreement with SGC

" _About 900 years old now, why do you ask Major Carter?"_

 _Again with the silence_ , The Doctor thought amused, _even Rose didn't react this badly…_ Hammond was looking rather blankly at the Doctor, as if he didn't know what to say- or do for that matter. Major Carter was studying him as one might a puzzle, as if he held the secretes of the universe. Which he didn't- but now she looked as if he did.

He was also pretty sure her thoughts circled entirely on the fact that sense he came here in the TARDIS, he was here for their benefit. This wasn't exactly true- but probably would end up being so.

As he had a hero thing going on where he usually ended up helping the species he came in contact with. More often then not they were human. Which didn't bother him, as Rose was there for him to teach- and impress.

Daniel just looked as if he couldn't wait to start asking questions. He was probably just wondering how to phrase them. Teal'c finally looked as if the Doctor wasn't just something he was mildly curious about- he actually looked interested in him now. This could be a good thing, or a bad one depending on how things went here.

O'Neill's expression was an odd mix of disbelief and surprise. The Doctor wasn't entirely sure if this was a good expression for the man. He looked the sort who used to shot first and ask questions later. Or at least follow his commander's orders.

The Doctor nervously glanced at Hammond, after all he may be a Time Lord and survive that encounter but he didn't want to get shot. That and leave Rose in their hands for any length of time without him nearby and able to protect her.

"900 _years_. As in _365 days_ in a _year_. That type of year?" Daniel asked- it seemed he was the quickest to get his tongue back. This was amusing to the Doctor, as military personal were supposed to ask the alien-type questions first. At least United Nations Intelligence Taskforce or UNIT had let the military types ask the questions- at least about technology.

The Doctor grinned, and nodded- to answer Daniels question, and they fell back to a pensive silence _again_. Of which the Doctor was now very thankful for, as he could now think- hopefully uninterrupted.

This made him wonder- if UNIT knew about the SGC. Or was the SGC an operation that had slipped past them- it was entirely possible.

After all, from what he had learned so far- which was mostly based on vague and educated assumptions of his, the SGC was being _very_ secretive and working only within their own government.

Which if he remembered their countries history correctly- also had a record of keeping secretes. Keeping them hidden well enough – and relating just enough to its people as to not still too much suspicion on itself, though that was practiced by most governments of the world.

Of course these things changed because for the most part the Americans elected their leaders. Secretes were usually kept until that generation had died out, and secretes kept were deemed too old to be needed to kept secrete anymore.

Very sneaky of them but also intellect to some extent, they wouldn't want their citizens panicking after all. The Stargate was most definitely valuable as if was Ancient technology, and probably only a few members of the government knew about it.

He had no doubt that the Stargate would eventually become public knowledge, as the press would say; the people have a right to know. Though for the moment this was a military issue- and it did concern the security of the nation- of that the Doctor had no doubt.

It was curious that they would let Daniel's type in though, even if they were the geniuses in their own right they were also humanitarians. No militia was a humanitarian unless ordered to -or there were benefits- or both.

"So let me get this right, your planet was destroyed, and your people are gone. Yet you travel through time and space in what looks like _a blue police box_ , with a teenage girl, and have an English accent. Is that about right?" O'Neill asked sarcastically.

Ah, so the colonel had some bite to him after all. The Doctor resisted the urge to flinch, and hid it well with a wide grin. While he wondered how to get back at the colonel- maybe a prank or two would teach the man a lesson.

"Yes that's about right; glad to see you catch on so quickly." His tone was especially sarcastic- if not more so then O'Neill's. He chuckled when the man's expression drew dark. Apparently he wasn't used to being talked back to.

"Would you be willing to let us see inside the TARDIS?" Hammond asked the Doctor seriously considered this, after all the man hadn't had his soldiers shoot at him and Rose.

That and they still had Rose, he had a feeling they would be unwilling to just let them leave without some sort of compensation for taking care of his companion.

So really he had no choice- and they knew that. Ah well, at least he could set the rules down and keep his and Rose's key away from them so they couldn't go in the TARDIS without him watching their every move. So long as Carter especially understood some ground rules.

"Sure, you can _look_ in side it some basic rules though. _Two people_ are allowed in and only those two - and _I will choose_ them. They _will not go in_ or _leave_ without either me or Rose. You can _look_ at the technology, _no touching_ of the control panels- or _taking her apart_ and _trying_ to put her _back together_ _again_. If you don't follow these rules _I won't_ be responsible for what might happen to you. _Understand_?" For the first time he had came to the SGC he allowed his expression to show something other then that grin, or the nearly frantic worry he had had for Rose, or the pain of loosing his planet and people.

His expression was coldly calculating and deadly serious; as much as he wished he could just take Rose and get them out. These people were military and had no alliance to them.

They probably would shoot at them if they just left even if it wasn't on Hammond's orders- he knew soldiers well enough to know they were determined and didn't like being told no.

"We understand perfectly well Doctor." Hammond murmured soothingly and like butter the Doctor's stern and cold expression melted to a manic like grin.

This seemed to worry the SG-1 team though, ah well, let them think he had split personalities. He'd been regenerated enough times to warrant a few physiological issues.

Having ones people, who were telepathically connected to you, killed off at the same time _and_ watching your home world be destroyed could to that to any being, even a Time Lord.

"Good." The Doctor answered shortly. They were glancing among each other now, especially Daniel and Carter. Well they were both scientists and he had said two people.

"Doctor, who are the two people you're choosing?" O'Neill finally asked either getting impatient with him- or annoyed with Carter's and Daniel's short glances- which were more like glares, at each other.

He gave the group another grin. Just because he had agreed to let them see the TARDIS didn't mean he couldn't annoy them just a little bit more. Besides he was bored- and worried about Rose. Never a good combination when Rose wasn't there to reassure him of her safety.

"Well I'm choosing someone, and Rose- when she's better, will too. Till then I'm just going to wait till Rose is better to make my choice." They looked surprised, but didn't argue.

After all he had something they wanted access to the TARDIS, and they had Rose.

All was fair in love and war- and politics too.


	4. The Doctor and O'Neill Face Off

After his interrogation with Hammond and the SG-1 the Doctor was on his way to the med-bay. He noted with amusement that he now had four military men following him.

Granted they were trying to be subtle but it really wasn't working. Oh well, least they weren't interfering with his going to the med-bay. Walking through the door he spotted Rose's bed, and the chair he had left there too.

That was nice of them, still weren't earning any brownie points till he heard Rose's condition. Though, with the TARDIS's technology dangling over their heads they'd be cooperative -at least for a while.

He sprawled onto the chair half his attention on Rose and the other on the Ancient technology- and the Goa'uld. True they had answered his question still it had been vague, yet so had he.

Bored with sprawling he sat up his elbows on his knees and head cradled in his head. Painfully aware that Rose was human, young enough to think her self envencable and yet old enough to ask questions and tell him when she needed him.

She was one of a kind, and he had a feeling he'd do just about anything for her. Then he heard the click of heels on cement and a hand was placed on his shoulder. Confused he looked up, a woman with short hair and kind eyes looked down at him.

"I am Doctor Fraiser. Hammond told me to inform you about Rose's condition." Fraiser held a clipboard and her expression while pleasant told him nothing.

"Well, continue please?" The Doctor prodded when Fraiser paused. She sighed and flipped through the clipboard notes, moving to the foot of Rose's bed. Unsettled that she might try something, the Doctor got up and went to look over her shoulder- so he could read Fraiser's notes.

"She's bruised up pretty badly, some muscle strains, and a mild concussion. Though otherwise she should be alright." Fraiser hadn't seemed to notice him just behind her, so when she looked up and turned to see him- she jumped a little startled.

"When will she wake up?" The Doctor asked nervously, for if she didn't wake up in a day he'd have to use the sonic screwdriver, and wouldn't that be a nightmare to explain to the SGC…

"Don't worry Doctor, she's just resting. That's really what she needs." Fraiser explained calmly, the Doctor nodded and settled back down on the chair.

He heard her clicking heels leave him and was suddenly glad for the white curtains they had put up which gave him some illusions of privacy. Although he could have done without the fluids being sent up her arm, and the paleness of Rose's skin against the white.

The beeping and blinking medical machines also didn't help him forget that Rose was human. That he could loose her and he shuddered at the thought of going on without her. His life had changed so much sense he had grabbed her hand and told her to run.

"You know for someone about 900 you look young." The familiar voice of Colonel O'Neill interrupted his thoughts. Sighing, the Doctor glanced up just to make sure it was O'Neill and not someone with his tone and attitude. No such luck apparently, as the man was standing just inside the curtain.

"It's the lotion, does wonders." The Doctor baited. Wither he liked it or not it seemed the man was staying till he had said what he wanted to, or until the Doctor got him frustrated enough that he gave up.

Not surprisingly the Doctor found himself more inclined to bait him, then to answer any of O'Neill's questions which he could probably answer in his sleep. Oh the man was intelligent enough, he just liked hiding it, and the Doctor knew that all too well.

"So you're serious about the TARDIS? That blue police box can actually go through time and space?" O'Neill asked his eyes wondering from the Doctor to Rose and back again.

His question had actually just proved the Doctor's point. Yet he found himself more worried about why O'Neill had just looked at Rose. He nodded anyway, just to provide an answer- though it could be understood differently, so he'd better answer him verbally.

Then question O'Neill on why he was looking at _his_ Rose.

"Yes, it can. Guess you people can't grasp a subject like that yet, or is it just you?" O'Neill raised an eyebrow, the Doctor scowled at him, O'Neill's lips twitched upwards in amusement.

"Probably just me, I'm just wondering why someone as old and annoying as you would take a teenager on adventures all over creation." O'Neill apparently didn't care that the Doctor wasn't grinning anymore but glaring darkly.

"Maybe it's none of your business Colonel. Then again you're one to talk, using the Ancients technology to crisscross the universe. A universe that would have taken a million years to discover on your own, and you stupid apes are taking the easy way." The Doctor finished leaning back smug grin in place and arms crossed over his chest.

"You know what I think Doctor? I think nine hundred years is an awful long time to be alone, and with your ship I'm sure you've seen just about everything there is to see," The Doctor paled and O'Neill didn't notice continuing to rant at him.

"After that maybe we stupid apes started to look interesting. I also think Rose isn't your first little human friend, but maybe she's the first you're really starting to care about!" O'Neill yelled the last part fed up with the Doctor's moods.

Somewhere in the middle of O'Neill's rant the Doctor's face had become blank. O'Neill flinched he knew he had screwed up, Hammond had sent him to smooth things out.

Maybe anyone else on SG-1 team would have been better. Just went to show how much of a bad idea it was to send him as a diplomat. The Doctor's fists where clenched and his knuckles were white.

O'Neill absently wondered how hard the Doctor could hit. Or if he was going to find out, unexpectedly the Doctor exhaled sharply and looked to the side mumbling something under his breath.

"What was that?" O'Neill couldn't resist asking; wondering what had made the smarty mouth alien back down. The Doctor looked up at him his face pensive; O'Neill found the expression odd on the Doctor's face.

"I said your right; don't make me say it again." The Doctor grumbled apparently back to normal. O'Neill chuckled, grinning wickedly deciding that the Doctor wasn't so bad after all.

That is if one ignored his moods, which O'Neill knew he couldn't.

"Heh, what do you know a stupid ape knows something a nine hundred year old alien doesn't." O'Neill said unable to keep the smugness from his tone. The Doctor rolled his eyes, and then stuck his tongue out at the Colonel.

This earned a few snickers from the Colonel.

"Well I'll be off Doctor, take care of your Rose." O'Neill said patting the Doctor's shoulder in farewell. The Doctor nodded waving absently as O'Neill left, the curtain drawn closed behind him.

"Doctor?" Rose's voice was a mere whisper, yet he heard it as if she had shouted. He nearly gave himself whiplash turning to face her so quickly. She gave him a small smile, clouded by pain

For the first time sense coming to the SGC base, he allowed a true smile to light his face, and Rose's eyes softened.


	5. The Doctor Babbles

When Rose had woken to find herself lying on a medical bed with fluids running up her arm she hadn't been sure what to think. Then she had heard the Doctor arguing with someone and learned something very interesting indeed.

_"After that maybe we stupid apes started to look interesting. I also think Rose isn't your first little human friend, but maybe she's the first you're really starting to care about!"_

A long silence that meant she would have to wake up to stop the other man from being smashed to bits. The Doctor had a habit of reacting violently about his past.

Then he mumbled something that the other man wouldn't hear but she could.

"I love Rose…"

She felt her heart race and resisted the urge to 'wake up' and hug her Doctor.

_"What was that?"_

Apparently the other hadn't heard the words but he had heard the Doctors soft mumbling.

_"I said your right; don't make me say it again."_

Which wasn't exactly the truth, but the man probably knew that. After all he was the one baiting the Doctor.

_"Heh, what do you know a stupid ape knows something a nine hundred year old alien doesn't."_

She winched slightly her Doctor did have a temper when it came to her. Poor man had probably suffered glaring and heated glares to get the Doctor to react this way.

_"Well I'll be off Doctor, take care of your Rose."_

Yes, she decided, she was the Doctor's Rose- and he was her Doctor. Temperamental, sarcastic, and jealous bits included. She wouldn't have it any other way either.

Then she had heard the other mans footsteps fade on what sounded like a concrete floor and she decided to let the Doctor know she was awake.

"Doctor?"

Opening her eyes to see his smile was worth all the aches and pains her body was suffering, though she did wish he hadn't tried to give himself whiplash. Well perhaps Time Lords didn't get whiplash.

"Hey Rose? Are you alright?" The Doctor asked, hand twitching to touch her, if only just to brush her hair back from her face. Her eyes flicked to the needle in her arm, and then to the blinking machines. He decided to call Fraiser- and get her to get Rose off the fluids, and machines.

"Fraiser!" The Doctor yelled grinning at Rose, and Rose felt herself nod, even though her body still ached. A woman walked through the white curtains and smiled when she saw Rose awake and the Doctor grinning from ear to ear.

Fraiser chuckled softly, and went to Rose's side taking readings and making sure her patient was alright. She was, and Fraiser wondered if letting the girl go when the Doctor had stood up and was practically bouncing in place for her diagnoses. Although it was nice to have a patient that didn't demand to be discharged as soon as he or she was awake and could talk.

"Well Fraiser?" The Doctor's voice was hopeful, like a little boy asking his mother for candy. She decided that as long as the girl stayed around for a few days so Fraiser could observe if Rose was suffering any strain.

Rose, with the Doctor by her side, could explore the base a bit. Fraiser had a feeling that if the Doctor was with her Rose was the safest person on the base, for he would just as surely die for her as kill for her.

"If she's careful and comes in for a bit every day, I don't see why she shouldn't be able to explore the SGC." Fraiser stated, as she eased the needle out of Rose's arm and then turned off the monitor.

"Fantastic!" The Doctor yelled with delight.

Fraiser looked at him with a raised eyebrow, after all, the medical bay had more patients then just Rose. The Doctor looked sheepishly away from Fraiser's gaze, and then when Rose sat up he was helping her down and off the bed.

Guiding her out the door before Rose could thank her, the Doctor talking a mile a minute and obviously wanting to show and tell her everything that had happened since she'd collapsed. Fraiser hoped the girl had the patience to deal with him, he looked like a handful.

It must have been a strange sight for anyone who happened to come across the two. A teenager -a young woman really, being followed and having doors opened by what looked like a man.

As she listened and asked questions as he babbled about the SGC- and things the soldiers were pretty sure were classified. Yet she took it in stride and no one looked too eager to question them.

After all they had all heard about the man- an alien really, whose technology was perhaps as advanced as the Ancients. That and the rumor was- that the alien- only known as the Doctor had a temper when it came to the girl.

While this wouldn't normally make them back off O'Neill, one of the best on the base, had casually remarked to Carter that the Doctor had looked ready to kill him when goaded about the girl.

None of them wanted to test O'Neill's theory. They only hoped one of the SG-1 would come if the Doctor and the girl wandered too close to anything too top secret.

Then again the blue police box the Doctor claimed was able to travel through time and space, was parked against the wall of the 'Gate Room. So really there wasn't too much they had to worry about safe keeping form the Doctor.

Then again the men following them looked anxious to get away instead of follow, so maybe the guards were justified in letting them through without hassle.

"You should have seen it Rose, it was great! They wanted to know about the TARDIS, and I told them to shove off, and that it was my ship." The Doctor exclaimed while Rose watched him his face went through so many emotions in just a few words- pride, anger and triumph.

"They seem to be having problems with Goa'uld, a parasite like race they claim is symbiotic -though I can't see how they help the host when they control it." This time she knew the Doctor was mad about the Goa'uld, that race probably had some history with his own that he would probably tell her in time.

"They have the Alterans technology! Although they call them Ancients, I agreed to only let two of them _see_ the TARDIS, though they can't touch her- I'll pick one and you pick the other." That was surprising as the Doctor was as protective of the TARDIS as he was of her- perhaps more so.

"Only don't pick the guy with the tattoo thing on his head- he gives me the creeps. Well not him but the Goa'uld larva in him- though I think it's almost mature." He explained trying to not blame the man who held the larvae for his own survival.

"It kept trying probing my mental shields- granted that's like bashing a hammer against a bank wall- but it was still odd enough to know I don't like the feeling." Rose shuddered even as the Doctor winched slightly, she knew how that must have bothered him. She'd hate something trying to get in her head.

Rose also wondered if the Doctor realized she wasn't participating in the conversation though it fascinated her. She'd decided to let the Doctor babble- Rose had found it reassured him that she was there.

It was also very interesting what you learned from the Doctor's babble while he wasn't paying much attention to what he was saying.


	6. The Doctor Meets the Gadmeer (or Furlings)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyway for those who wanted to know this is set in Stargate SG-1, Season 5, Pre - Meridian. This is Scorched Earth –where we meet the Gadmeer aka Furlings. This does not follow the episode and the Doctor only really starts talking at the end.
> 
> Doctor Who is just at …Pre-Jack…Though I love him- I learned about a little too late for this fic thank the Sci fi channel that I know about Doctor Who at all. We're just getting to the last episode in the 1st Season here. So I have no idea what the 10th Doctor would act like… Sorry for the wait!

Hammond had called the SG-1 into the briefing room- the Doctor had followed them in leading Rose into the room by the hand. Carter grinned when she saw the display, she that suspected that the Doctor had more then just comrade feelings for the girl.

"So what's the big emergency?" The Doctor asked, in Hammond's opinion the man seemed a little _too_ cheerful at the prospect of danger. Rose catching Hammond's expression chuckled -which made the Doctor grin all the more widely.

"No emergency, I just feel we ought to see how the Enkarans are settling in on that world we settled them on to keep them safe from the Goa'uld." Hammond explained, the Doctor frowned then nodded.

"Fine but if anything interesting happens you're to come back and tell us then Rose and I will come along." The Doctor said with a wide grin.

Hammond groaned it figured the Doctor would through such a wrench into his plans. He had wanted them safe on the SGC base not wandering all over the galaxy- which they probably did on their own.

Though if he refused and the Doctor just left without showing them the TARDIS technology, he could just picture the type of report he'd have to give to the President.

Shuddering slightly he looked up and Daniel and Carter were staring at them with expressions close too close to saying -if we don't see the inside of that ship –you'll never hear the end of it!

He wondered if it had occurred to them that the Doctor and Rose were choosing the people who saw inside the TARDIS- and they might not be the ones chosen. Nodding just a little reluctantly, he agreed that they could come along if the SG-1 reported anything unusual- O'Neill looked like he wanted to hit his head on the table- repeatedly.

_Enkarans Planet- after SG-1 come back and aim to go on the Gadmeer ship._

_The Doctor and Rose are there with them._

After hanging around Sam and Daniel Rose thought she knew all she could about what was happening. The Doctor looked decidedly upset that the Enkarans were either going to face death over moving to a new world.

Rose was too caught up in staring at the huge ship to pay much attention to conversation going on around her. Though she focused quite well when the Doctor tapped her on the shoulder to let her know they were going up.

"Any intelligence capable of engineering something like that should be capable of reason." Daniel insisted, Rose though that a reasonable conclusion though judging from the Doctor's expression he disagreed.

"Thing is, will they listen?" Carter told him, the Doctor chuckled clearly agreeing with Sam.

"The real question is will they have ears?" Jack said just as Carter activated the transmitter. The typical beam of light proceeded to beam the six on bored the huge ship.

"Someone heard something." Daniel said smirking slightly at Jack, obviously deciding Jack's last words needed answering. The Doctor frowned, and Rose decided wondering the ship and risking activating something and angering the aliens was a _bad idea_.

Apparently Carter and Daniel had no such survival instincts. Still it was cleaver that they found supposedly alien tissue while opening drawers. Rose glanced at the Doctor, who hadn't said a word and was frowning- as if trying to remember something.

"It's still just a guess." Carter insists while putting down the dish. The Doctor tenses and stares over where the SG-1 isn't, and Rose follows his gaze and gasps with surprise. Seeing them the being decides to introduce itself.

"A good one!" He says referring to Carter's guess about the tissue being alien, apparently Sam disliked being startled- or perhaps complimented by someone she couldn't see for she raised her gun in the direction the voice had came from.

Apparently she was feeling jumpy today for this was the second time the normally calm woman had been so trigger happy to appear willing to shoot first and ask questions later. It didn't bid well that the first person she had pointed the gun at had been Daniel- when he had accidentally opened a drawer.

"I am Lotan. You need not fear me." Lotan reassured them, they didn't look at all reassured. Especially when Lotan informed them that the ship wasn't going anywhere and therefore the Enkarans had to move or die- which they were prepared to do.

They were promptly beamed back down onto the planet. Rose and the Doctor wondered away from the group. They were surprised that Daniel led Lotan toward them; Lotan walked over to them and faced the Doctor apparently overcoming his fear of trees to speak with the Doctor.

"You are not human." Lotan stated, the Doctor nodded and Lotan frowned at the lack of responce, then he went on walking with Daniel again. After exchanging a few more words with Daniel- that they couldn't hear, Lotan transported both of them supposedly to either the ship -or to the village. As Lotan had wanted mentioned the Enkarans to be 'of a strange design' which could mean he wanted to meet them.

Unaware of the battle of wills Daniel and Jack- or the answer Lotan had provided Rose and the Doctor still sat on the planet. Apparently her Doctor had decided to reason with the Gadmeer when they came to him. Though he knew SG-1 would take Rose back through the Stargate beforehand if he waited too long.

Rose, with her hand on the Doctor's shoulder, brought him out of his daze. He stared at Rose and blinked, and Rose could have sworn she had seen wetness in his eyes -along with the Doctor's confused expression.

"I know that _technology_ \- that _place_ …" She heard him murmur and apparently she wasn't the only one, for something else was suddenly with them.

Something that looked like what Lotan had shown them the Gadmeer had looked like, though it was living outside the vial and thus something the ship had created.

"You are a Time Lord- you should know that the Gadmeer were once called Furlings, were nearly destroyed by the Daleks. Are they gone?" The creature asked, the Doctor frowned and nodded.

"Yes, at a great price. I am the last of the Time Lords." The Doctor answered him, the obscure face of the Gadmeer clouded with what could be believed to be grief.

"Our condolences, you should know that before the Gadmeer fell they collected DNA of all the species in the Alliance- including your own. We owe you a great dept and when the Gadmear are strong again I am sure they would be happy to recreate the Time Lords." It offered, the Doctor only nodded but made no effort to reply and waved and left to pass through the Stargate, Rose by his side.


	7. The Doctor and His Soup

When they went back at the base they found out what had happened, the Doctor seemed to take it well. Then he shut himself up in the TARDIS and Rose knew him better then to think he was just 'fixing' the TARDIS.

She knew that his thoughts had to be on what the Gadmeer had offered him. His people back, that he would be the last no longer, the mental connections with his people. Something he had let slip when they had encountered the last of the Daleks.

At least she hoped he had been referring to a mental like with his people, which made her wonder if her Doctor was physic. If he was she hoped that humans were too 'primitive' for him to understand- as much as she would be in awe of such a connection with him. The thought of having no secretes- or privet thoughts, would indeed be an annoying thing for her.

She hadn't been surprised when the door to the TARDIS had been locked- this was a military base after all. Though that let her know that the Doctor wanted to be left alone, and she would let him think- at least for a little while.

The rest- SG-1 and Hammond seemed surprised that he wasn't hovering over her. She knew her Doctor too well to be worried that he might abandon her here- after all he had admitted he loved her.

Therefore she decided she was hungry and knowing the Doctor he hadn't eaten sense they had gotten here, and that would mean the Doctor was probably hungry too.

Now…If only she could find the cafeteria.

"Excuse me, Rose wasn't it?" It was Daniel, she nodded and he grinned continuing.

"I was wondering if you or the Doctor were hungry." Daniel asked with an earnest expression on his face, Rose wondered if he was physic too. Could be, after all the man had pretty much diverted an alien race and people from being destroyed and reunited the people with their home planet.

Granted he had help from the Gadmeer, but still the man deserved a fair amount of credit in her opinion.

"Yes actually, but I don't know where the cafeteria is, could you take me there?" Rose asked with her best grin, Daniel nodded, and Rose could of sworn she had seen a light flush color his skin but when she looked again it was gone.

Rose didn't know why but she was unsurprised to see the rest of SG-1 in the cafeteria and that Daniel was leading her to their selected seats. It seemed she would be sitting between Carter and Teal'c for Daniel had settled between O'Neill and Teal'c.

"So how long have you been traveling with the Doctor?" Carter asked attempting and failing to sound nonchalant. Daniel got up again apparently going to get her food.

"Well I don't really know time somehow feels like it flies by when I'm with the Doctor. My mom told me I had been gone for a year once even though it seemed like only a day had passed for me." Rose tried to explain, though she was very unwilling to go into details.

"You must have seen some pretty amazing stuff if the TARDIS can go through both time and space. Ever been on another planet?" Jack asked, toying with his food.

It was obvious they were trying very hard not to let her feel as if she was being interrogated, and from the way they were letting her answers go without questioning it further spoke worlds about what they wanted to drill her on.

"Sometimes, but they aren't really like the one we came from, one of the ones that was my favorite had a yellow sky and purple clouds. The sun was crimson and huge in the sky it had two yellow twins though- and it had an unbelievably beautiful sunrise and sunset." Rose babbled as Daniel appeared again and set soup and a sandwich- with grape juice before her. So she deducted it was lunch.

"Oh, did you ever run into the inhabitants? Did the Doctor ever tell you its name?" Carter asked looking eager to learn more. Rose was partly glad the Doctor never had as she shook her head in a no. She was happy that they hadn't asked _when_ \- _70 billion years_ in the future wouldn't have been very helpful information.

"Have you ever heard of a Goa'uld before?" Teal'c asked, again an easy question, she quickly shook her head and bit into her sandwich. Carter and Daniel glanced between each other.

They must be wondering how it was that the Doctor, who she traveled with had heard of Goa'uld and perhaps encountered them, yet had never mentioned them to his companion.

Were they really so dense as to believe the Goa'uld were the only dangerous aliens in the universe? Perhaps they had yet to encounter them, but Rose hoped that she would never get so caught up in one enemy as to forget the others.

"So what _do_ you know?" O'Neill asked apparently having surpassed his patience with the lack of information. Rose took a page from the Doctor's book- when you don't want to answer grin, make a joke of it- and run or walk quickly away.

"Don't know what _do you_ know?" Rose asked with a raised eyebrow as she hurriedly left the cafeteria, bringing the soup with her for the Doctor while leaving the rest for SG-1 to clean up.

Rose had a feeling that if she had stuck around much longer she wouldn't have gotten the 'baby interrogation' much longer. The TARDIS was still locked, but she had no need to knock for the Doctor had given her, the other key to the TARDIS.

Slipping it out of her pocket and glancing around to ensure no one was watching- which no one was. Rose entered the TARDIS, and wasn't surprised to see the Doctor fiddling with the TARDIS's connections.

"Doctor I brought soup!" Rose called, as she turned to set it down. She wasn't surprised to hear his footsteps come closer and for him to settle onto his chair with the soup, stirring it occasionally with the spoon she had brought along.

"Thanks Rose." He whispered it, but it echoed surprisingly well and she heard it none the less.

"No problem Doctor, how are you doing?" Rose asked as she looked around the TARDIS, which she never got tired of doing. Beautiful and eerily as it was, it felt more like home then anywhere else she had ever lived.

"I'll be alright I just never thought _I'd hear that_ from a Gadmeer. Never, thought I'd ever _see_ a Furling again." The Doctor muttered as he sipped from his soup, Rose wondered if the Doctor would choose to let the Time Lords rest or to bring them back. Either way she'd support him.

"So did you find the cafeteria alright?" The Doctor asked, glancing at the soup as if realizing it was in fact there, then to her in time to see her slightly upset expression. Rose knew he'd know something had gone wrong and wouldn't let things go until she told him.

"Daniel led me there; he was real sweet- got me the sandwich and soup." Rose had she been anyone else would have caught the flash of jealously that spread across the Doctor's face for an instant.

"The rest of the SG-1 was there too, and I sat there, didn't think they'd be so insistent to know what I know. Though if the truth be told, I don't know too much." Rose hurried to reassure him that Daniel wasn't the problem- as her Doctor looked about ready to go find him and do something unpleasant.

At this news the Doctor looked angry. Rose tilted her head at him a curious expression spreading across her face.

"I told them to leave you out of this." The Doctor grumbled upset that they had dared question Rose. Rose didn't have anything to say to that so she remained silent waiting for the Doctor to finish his soup so they could go out.

The Doctor knew though that if he was honest with himself he knew there was more to it then that.

The Doctor was upset with himself that he had let her far enough out of his sight to get questioned. Although he knew Rose wouldn't have stood for being shut up in the TARDIS while he brooded.


	8. The Doctor Meets Thor

"Well, _that_ went well." Muttered Colonel O'Neill, watching Rose's retreating back. Daniel got up and put – or threw away the dishes and things Rose had left behind. Major Samantha Carter folded her arms staring at O'Neill, who squirmed guiltily.

" _That_ is what you get for trying to 'gently pry' information from a teenager who has access to alien technology." Sam stated Teal'c raised an eyebrow at the woman.

"If I remember correctly-you asked questions as well." Teal'c reminded her, Sam sighed. Daniel was very carefully not looking anyone in the eye. He hadn't meant to lead the girl into an interrogation.

If he had known that bringing her to their table would have led to this he wouldn't have bothered trying to introduce them.

"Well so did you Teal'c!" Sam said trying to defend herself. Though she knew she was equally at fault for the impromptu questioning. Teal'c nodded acceptance of her statement.

"I believe the only one who did not question Miss Rose was Daniel-Jackson." Teal'c added with a curious glance at Daniel. Jack sighed, knowing where this conversation would head.

"I think we owe her an apology." Daniel muttered sitting back down; Sam glanced between Jack and Teal'c, Jack was looking at his pudding as if it held the answers to life's big questions and Teal'c had an eyebrow raised.

"What would you get a teenage as an apology gift?" Jack asked with a pensive frown. Sam chuckled and feeling a sudden feeling of impending doom Jack watched Sam wave a hand around the room.

"Depending on how bad you screwed up it can range from chocolate, flowers, a card, and a cute furry animal. Or jewelry and clothes, or if you really screwed up all of the above a car _and_ a face to face apology." Sam stated with a small evil looking smirk as she saw Jack winch.

Daniel chuckled because he knew Sam would get Jack to do it. If anyone could convince the military that _yes_ chocolate, flowers, card, jewelry, clothes, _and_ car were mandatory to the safety of the planet it was the SGC.

"I think we'll exempt the clothes…" Jack muttered, and if Daniel didn't know any better he'd have sworn the Colonel was blushing. Sam looked curiously at O'Neill who shrugged.

"I don't think the Doctor would like it is all." Jack stated blandly, at his words Sam blinked, paled, and nodded in that order. No one in the SGC wanted to see what the Doctor would do to a male who got close enough to _his_ Rose to know what size of clothes she wore.

"Alright no clothes- but it better be a pretty expensive car then!" Sam chimed in with a grin. Jack grumbled as he was led out of the cafeteria, Teal'c shook his head in amusement as Daniel chuckled as he watched the two go.

"You know I just thought of something." Daniel said as he tilted his head, and Teal'c raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

"The Doctor is going to be very upset that you three questioned Rose." Daniel said Teal'c tilted his head in a barely noticeable nod.

"I believe you are correct Daniel-Jackson." Teal'c agreed then got up, at Daniel's curious look, Teal'c paused.

"I am going to retrieve a furry animal- with no teeth." Teal'c told Daniel in all seriousness as he left; Daniel chuckled at Teal'c's retreating back, he then scowled realizing they had left the face to face apology to Rose- and likely the Doctor to him.

Even if he hadn't questioned her he had led her into the cafeteria. Daniel sighed, realizing that though he might not be at fault it would make him feel better none the less.

Sometimes Daniel felt his team knew him too well- and took full advantage of that fact.

So it was that Daniel went in search of the Doctor and Rose, which shouldn't be too hard after all blue police boxes weren't usually hard to find in the 'Gate room.

That is when they didn't disappear in a beam of sparkly lights that Daniel thought looked a lot like the Asgard's technology. Well it seemed the apologies would have to wait till they got back.

Daniel decided to go inform Hammond the go to his office, someone else was going to have to inform Jack, Sam, and Teal'c that the Doctor and Rose had been taken by the Asgard.

"Well this doesn't happen every day." The Doctor murmured. The Doctor had been looking at the control panel ever sense the walls of the TARDIS had shimmered and solidified. Other then that shimmering there wouldn't have been any sign that something had happened.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked eyeing the door; she was torn by logic and curiosity. Logically because the Doctor hadn't activated the TARDIS therefore it shouldn't have moved.

Yet it had, because apparently the shimmering sparks had sent them somewhere else, or so the reading control panel said. Curiosity because she wanted to know where they were at and the only real way to do that was to look outside.

"Well according to this were just above the Earth, inside of something rather large." The Doctor answered.

 _Well that was informative_ , Rose thought. _Ah well, at least we know were_ inside _something._ She reassured herself as she made her way to the door. The Doctor had apparently looked up while she had been deciding what to do and was by her side before she reached the door.

"Ready?" The Doctor asked her looking over his shoulder at her as he prepared to open the door; Rose nodded and crossed her fingers behind her back.

The door opened and both stepped through into what Rose was fairly sure was a space ship- as the window let her have a nice view of the stars. The room was open and there was a control panel near by, which the Doctor strolled up to.

"Uh…Doctor?" Rose squeaked as she stared in disbelief at the being in front of her.

It was an alien- not just any kind either! Oh no, it was one of those popular big headed, big eyed, small bodied, small nosed, no eared aliens, gray skinned alien that were so popular to get in the quarter machines and practically everywhere in the media when someone spoke of aliens.

"Yea, Rose?" The Doctor asked apparently distracted by the alien technology. Was it just her or was there a glint of amusement in the alien's large black eyes?

"I think I just found our host." Whispered Rose, though she knew the Doctor had heard as he seemed to move so fast from the alien technology to her side he couldn't have been there faster if he had teleported.

"I am Thor of the Asgard; we request your help Time Lord." The alien informed them, the Doctor raised an eyebrow- Thor's expression didn't change.

"What kind of help do you need that you couldn't have asked for without sending us up here instead of talking to us down there?" The Doctor asked curious despite being practically kidnapped and having his TARDIS transported onto the Asgard ship.

"Access to the TARDIS's memory, as it was around when the alliance was formed we believe it may hold information on our genetic code which the Ancients may have kept within the Time Lords ships." Thor informed them, the Doctor and Rose glanced between each other and the Doctor tilted his head at the Asgard.

"If I let you on the TARDIS you have to promise three things." Thor stiffened, but was reluctant to disagree so he nodded wanting to hear what the Doctor had to say.

"One, next time you want to talk you won't beam us up. Two, you tell us all you know about the alliance. Three, what's wrong with your genes that you need information the TARDIS may or may not have?" The Doctor asked, and Thor nodded apparently accepting the terms.

"We agree with the first. The second is recoded on the TARDIS which we can access for you, the third is that we are no longer able to reproduce and our race is dieing off." Thor bluntly informed the two, and the Doctor winched and nodded stepping aside so that Thor could go in.

Needless to say both Rose and the Doctor followed Thor into the TARDIS. After all it wasn't a good idea to let just anyone full access to the TARDIS, though they both knew they would learn a lot more then what they knew now.

After all even the Doctor needs a refresher course in a history that had happened before his birth.


	9. The Doctor Shops

So what you're telling me is that the Ancients put your genetic codes into the TARDIS?" The Doctor asked as he leaned against the TARDIS's control panel watching as Thor pressed buttons and accessed information that the Doctor, in all his 900 years hadn't known was there.

"That is correct." Thor stated, it was hard to tell but as the Asgard alien had had to repeat itself several times now, so Rose was guessing he- it was a he right?

It was hard to tell, and Thor hadn't said either way- maybe the Asgard really are sexless? In any case it was pretty obvious to her that Thor was getting a little annoyed with the Doctor.

"Now why would they do that?" The Doctor questioned intent on getting at least some information from Thor. Thor only seemed to shrug off the Doctor's questions, except he didn't shrug at all -or blink a lot for that matter.

"I can't answer that. Would you move Doctor? I must retrieve the information." Frowning at Thor, the Doctor rolled his eyes and moved aside; after all it wouldn't do to aggravate their host.

Thor might decide to keep them aboard for longer then they really wanted to be on Thor's ship.

"Don't forget Thor you owe me one!" Yelled the Doctor as Thor moved hastily to the door of the TARDIS, which closed, and again they were surrounded with the silvery light.

The Doctor grumbled angered that he hadn't got any answers through Thor seemed to get all of his. Rose patted his shoulder comfortingly trying to hide her grin.

Sighing, the Doctor made his way to the TARDIS door, and Rose grinning followed him out. Only to be greeted by SG-1's wide grins- or in Teal'c's case, a small smirk.

"Hey Rose, I was thinking maybe we could go shopping." Sam asked grinning, Rose blinked and grinned nodding enthusiastically, grabbing the Majors hand and practically dragging her out of the 'Gate room.

The Doctor tensed, if there was one thing he didn't like it was shopping- or surprises, but it usually depended on the type of surprise. Although he _really_ didn't like shopping, ranked up there with end of the world experiences- and dieing.

This really wasn't his day, first Rose gets interrogated, vague aliens, and now said interrogators were taking Rose shopping. The Doctor's honor wouldn't allow him to leave Rose alone until they left- for good- so the Doctor had no choice to go with Rose.

Grumbling the Doctor knew his feet were following Rose and Sam and he knew that Jack, Teal'c, and Daniel were following behind him. They piled into Jack's jeep.

Apparently Jack and Carter had cleared their little shopping trip with Hammond while the Doctor and Rose had been in the spaceship with Thor. The Doctor had nothing to do but watch while Sam and Rose went shopping for clothes.

Apparently the military felt generous when it came to alien technology.

The Doctor snickered, he and Teal'c had declined going into the mall while Daniel and Jack had decided to go in- if only because of Sam's glare. Of course he could have told them he could pay for Rose's shopping trip, but they were the ones who hadn't told him.

After three hours the Doctor had managed to shove the larva put of his head- literally and the two had spent the rest of the time bonding over numerous tic-tak-toe games and thumb wars.

Sam and Rose came back carrying the minimum while Daniel and Jack were carrying the bulk of it- Jack more so then Daniel.

Which is why the Doctor had no motive for going on this shopping trip, he always ended up carrying the bags, and other then that -to watch out for Rose.

Then again the three SG-1 members had proven that they were capable of protecting Rose. At their first shop- the gas station they had nearly been robbed and the SG-1 had done well enough at protecting his Rose even if he was right there.

"You realize you're sulking right?" Jack told him as he got in the jeep first, the Doctor only grumbled. Jack rolled his eyes- it figured a 900 year old alien would sulk when he had seen the people he was supposed to be protecting Rose from protect her instead.

"Enjoying your self Rose?" Sam asked smiling brightly at the teen. Rose nodded her eyes a sparkly and bright. The Doctor hunched lower in his seat silently vowing to take Rose to the most fantastic shopping mall in all of time and space.

Granted there were several of those and he didn't know if the TARDIS even with its endless amount of space- and changing corridors would be willing to store all the stuff Rose was sure to get.

"What did you acquire?" Teal'c asked Rose for the Doctor. As he knew the Time Lord, no matter how curious, would be to proud to ask until Rose told him.

"Some stuffed animals- including this adorable little artic fox. Lots of jewelry Sam picked out a matching necklace and earrings that I just had to have. Chocolate, flowers, and apology card–that went with the bear Jack thought looked cute. Of course lots of accessories though no clothes, though the cowboy hat wasn't really what I wanted." Rose bragged with a grin.

"Indeed." Teal'c nodded, and the Doctor could have sworn the Jaffa's dark eyes had glazed over at the 'artic fox' though that couldn't hide the amusement in them.

"So, where are we going now?" Rose asked Jack, just as the Doctor noticed that they weren't headed to the mountain base and stifled a groan. Apparently three hours of shopping wasn't enough for the Colonel.

"A car lot..." Were the Colonel's cryptic words and quickly had Rose squealing for joy.

The Doctor wondered how the man planned to give Rose a car if it wouldn't go through the TARDIS- and just when she would have time to drive it. A though struck the Doctor and his eyes widened in horror.

"Say, Rose, do you know how to drive?" Jack asked with a small smirk. Rose shook her head. Sam grinned at her commanding officer.

"Then Sam and I better teach you before you leave." Jack offered and the Doctor grumbled too softy for even Teal'c, who was sitting beside him, to hear.

"Oh really that'd be fantastic- wouldn't Doctor?" Rose asked and the Doctor shook himself out of his mood to grin at Rose. One thing was for certain he and a certain Colonel would be having words with each other when they got back to the base.

"Yap really…fantastic alright." The Doctor assured Rose just to please her. She smiled at him and went back to yammering on to Sam about what sort of car she wanted.

"Say Colonel the TARDIS probably won't fit a car," So not true but Jack didn't need to know that- and Rose had only seen two rooms in the TARDIS hers -and the control room. "So any ideas on where we can keep it?" The Doctor finished asking.

"Don't worry we'll keep it in storage for her when you return." Jack assured Rose and supposedly the Doctor.

 _So that's the plan,_ the Doctor thought, _they are going to try make sure we return by giving Rose the car._

The Doctor snorted, he knew he could get the TARDIS to fit anything in her for Rose, even if it was a practically useless twenty first-century machine. He could always make adjustments, he was sure Rose wouldn't mind a flying car.

Rose ended up getting a Porsche Carrera GT- silver, with black leather seats. With the Doctor footing most of the bill up front- surprising the SG-1, some how making the military pay for that little beauty for his Rose felt a little too criminal.


	10. The Doctor and the Ultimatum

O'Neill and the collective personal of the SGC were gob-smacked. Who'd of thought that the TARDIS, _a blue police box_ , would fit a Porsche Carrera GT through its doors and not show any outward signs of damage?

Well, judging from the Doctor's smug expression as he exited the TARDIS, O'Neill knew the Doctor had expected it.

Rose looked at least a _little_ awed, though she'd probably seen more amazing things in her travels with the Doctor.

Granted, O'Neill thought, when General Hammond flat-out refused to allow the Porsche to be driven by a teenager - or by the Doctor for that matter, into _his_ base the Doctor hadn't seemed too distressed.

The Doctor had told Rose he'd be right back, went into the SGC, and _seconds_ later there had been the tell tale sounds of the TARDIS appearing _outside_ the base.

In the parking lot no less.

The Doctor had exited the TARDIS and proceeded to drive the Porsche, and all Rose's new stuff, into the TARDIS.

O'Neill was pretty sure, judging from Carter's mumbling rants, had probably defied Einstein's laws and not a few human theories.

What like going around through _time and space_ in a _blue police box_ didn't _already_ do that?

There was no question Carter wanted into the TARDIS now.

Teal'c appeared as shocked as he ever did- eye _brows_ as for a change- both were raised, and slightly widened eyes. Daniel looked as if he didn't know what to think- or say for that matter.

O'Neill couldn't help snickering.

Make no mistake he was just as awed, but he couldn't help but be amused by his team and the SGC guards reactions.

Judging by the frantic gestures of one of the SGC guards, who was on the radio- others were sure to be less then amused.

The guard walked over to him, pale faced, and handed him the radio.

"O'Neill, do you want to explain to me why I'm getting reports of abnormal happenings _outside_ the SGC?" General Hammond was obviously one of those that were 'less then amused'.

"Not particularly sir." O'Neill said blandly- that caught his team and the Doctor's attention. The guard looked ill at O'Neill's answer. The Doctor grinned mischievously.

Rose and Carter exchanged exasperated looks.

"I suggest you get SG-1, the Doctor, and the TARDIS back inside the SGC. Is that understood O'Neill?" General Hammond said 'calmly' after taking a deep breath.

"Yes sir." O'Neill said lazily. The radio clicked off and O'Neill handed it back to the guard- who looked at O'Neill as if he had just handed him his death warrant.

"What'd Hammond say?" The Doctor asked still grinning; O'Neill scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, apparently he wants the TARDIS back inside the SGC." O'Neill stated carelessly, the Doctor nodded understandingly. Rose raised an eyebrow at the Doctor then looked doubtfully at O'Neill.

"And….?" Rose asked, knowing in her experience with the Doctor there was always something more then what was said.

" Hammond wants to talk to all of us." O'Neill said as he waved the Doctor to get into the TARDIS to get it back into the SGC. The rest of his team- and Rose followed him into the base.

The guard who had given his radio to O'Neill to use was nowhere in sight.

"Rant you mean." Daniel Jackson muttered under his breath; after what felt like a death march the five had arrived in Hammond's office.

The Doctor had, of course, beaten them to the office, and he did not look happy.

Rose worriedly sat down beside the Doctor. O'Neill, taking his cue from Hammond, sat on the opposite side- his team followed his lead.

"Doctor what is it?" Rose asked, the Doctor was tense and his arms were crossed over his chest, a look of clear defensiveness on his face.

"We've been given an ultimatum." The Doctor stated softly, you didn't have to be a genius to hear the menace in his voice.

"Uh, General Hammond, you want to tell me why the Doctor looks like he wants to kill something?" O'Neill asked, as he was sitting across from the Doctor he was slightly uneasy.

"While you were out _shopping_ the Asgard found the genetic information they needed from the TARDIS's database. Unfortunately it seems that whatever they need to do will require both the Doctor's genetics, as well as the Gadmeer's assistance." General Hammond said, Carter frowned, wondering what the Asgard were doing.

"They've asked for our cooperation to bring the Doctor to them." General Hammond finished, Rose glanced at the Doctor curiously.

"In return for my cooperation the Gadmeer say they have found a planet suitable for the Time Lords. They've set up cities, and are prepared to seed the planet. The inhabitants wouldn't even need to be babied; the Gadmeer will imprint all the knowledge the Time Lord's held into them as they are created." The Doctor finished running his hands through his hair.

"I don't understand it's what you've always wanted- to have your people back. What's the problem?" Rose asked softly, happy for the Doctor, but confused at his anger.

"All this is promised _after_ I agree to let the Asgard do testing. Till then I won't even know if it's real or not." The Doctor finished, standing abruptly, and starting to pace the room.

"You have their word, which is better then what they've given us in the past." General Hammond stated, Rose watched the Doctor and worried. Rose knew she'd stand by him whatever decision he made, but she worried over his reaction if he thought he made the wrong decision.

"Well it's a fair trade- your genes help them remake their people, and they will give you a chance to get your people back." O'Neill drawled, watching the Doctor pace, the Doctor stopped and turned around staring at the SG-1.

"You want me to release a people into this galaxy, so powerful they rivaled the Ancients power at the height of it?" The Doctor asked with a raised eyebrow. The SG-1 glanced among each other, apparently they hadn't known that.

"When the Gadmeer say 'with cities' I assume they mean 'with the technology you had' which means more technology; like the TARDIS- or better…right?" Carter asked, looking a little hungry at the thought of all that advanced science. The Doctor snorted, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"You're kidding right? Look, the Time Lord's have _only_ ever exchanged technology with the Asgard, Gadmeer, Nox, and the Alterans- I mean Ancients. That won't change just because the Gadmeer bring them back." The Doctor insisted much to Carter's disappointment.

"But you still intend to let two of us see the inside of the TARDIS, right?" Carter asked hesitantly, the Doctor waved a hand in an 'of course' gesture. She looked relived, and because the Doctor was pacing with his face downward she didn't see his smirk.

"Specking of the TARDIS, who do you intend to let in the TARDIS Doctor?" General Hammond asked, seizing on the chance to speak.

The Doctor turned back to them and sat down next to Rose, patting her shoulder.

"Well, we can do that now if you want. Which one do you choose Rose?"


	11. The Doctor and the TARDIS Visit

_"Well, we can do that now if you want. Which one do you choose Rose?"_

The question had caught her by surprise, to say the least. Rose had almost forgotten the Doctor had told them they could see inside the TARDIS. Rose glanced at the hopeful looking members of SG-1.

Teal'c wasn't going because she didn't want her Doctor to feel uncomfortable in his TARDIS. Even if Teal'c couldn't help but need the Goa'uld larvae, he didn't seem that enthusiastic about going into the TARDIS anyway.

Carter was far too enthusiastic about the TARDIS, if given the chance Rose didn't doubt she'd take apart and _try_ to rebuild the TARDIS. Rose knew that only _showing_ her the TARDIS would haunt the woman. For her own heath, and possible sanity, Rose decided to keep Carter away from the TARDIS.

O'Neill was amusing, but just as back-talking and had the same sense of annoying humor as her Doctor. Rose knew that the Doctor would probably choose him.

That left Daniel Jackson, who seemed to be the most sincere and naive of the four. Rose knew he couldn't lie about his intentions- it just wasn't in his nature.

Danial was curious about the TARDIS, like anyone in the SGC, but he wasn't obsessed with it.

Daniel's knowledge was of culture, not of technology- and the TARDIS had little of the Doctor's culture. At least on the surface- the computers in the TARDIS held a wealth of information, and their encounter with the Asgard leader Thor showed that it wasn't just the Time Lord's information it held.

Rose's choice decided she glanced at the Doctor, whose mind was obviously elsewhere, then looked back to the SG-1 with a grin.

"Daniel Jackson." The SG-1 looked somewhat surprised, but didn't protest. They realized they were lucky the Doctor had agreed to show the inside of the TARDIS to _two_ of their people after all.

Rose's choice voiced they eyed the Doctor. Who raised his eyebrow and smirked.

"Jack O'Neill."

The Doctor's choice had probably surprised them; the rumors from the med bay encounter had spread quickly through the SGC rumor mill.

Jack only nodded, he was smarter then he acted. You didn't survive half of what Jack had without being cleaver, but like the Doctor he pretended to act childish to throw everyone off.

Even lighten a serious mood, just as her Doctor did.

Carter was pouting, and Rose couldn't help but be amused. Rose knew she had been hoping Rose would pick her, the shopping trip had probably been a last ditch effort on behalf of the military to sway her to choose Carter.

Rose wasn't stupid. They were very lucky the gifts had swayed her to forgive them even that slight. The Doctor had been all for going after they had met Thor, after all these last two days had been the longest they had stayed in one place in quite some time.

Their decisions made, Hammond said something to Jack and Daniel Rose wasn't really paying attention to and together the three followed the Doctor to his TARDIS.

_-Daniel Jackson-_

I don't know what I expected to see when I went into the TARDIS. The car going into it proved it was bigger then it looked, at least. Though the thought of those two going around in time and space in something the size of a telephone booth had amused me.

Even I'm not blind enough to _not_ see the attraction between those two.

The TARDIS unlike anything I'd ever expected, and yet there was a haunting feeling of familiarity.

The Doctor thoughts were obviously elsewhere, so for the most part, it was left to Rose to show Jack and I around.

Rose did an excellent job of it, and I was glad she and Jack had made up. Rose was obviously intelligent, but not the kind of intelligence Carter or even I have.

The kind of intelligence of _people_ , a feeling of their very _natures_ , whither they are good or bad.

I have something like it, but she overflows with it. It's a wonder the Doctor found her, people like her are harder to find then…well, they are near impossible to find. I wonder if the Doctor realizes how lucky he is…

Or perhaps I am reading too much into her, but I don't believe I am.

I'm surprised when she sits me down near what I assume to be a computer. Jack is talking to the Doctor, who has seen me near it and he doesn't protest when Rose presses a button.

"This will tell you anything you wish to know of the Doctor's early culture, but nothing of their technology." _It will bore you, and humanity isn't ready for it,_ was left unspoken by both.

The military would probably gripe if they heard he was offered a chance to snoop in the TARDIS's technology and passed it up, so Daniel was glad she had added a 'excuse' for his lack of an attempt.

By the time he was through his head was overflowing with information, and surprisingly he couldn't think of a question about the early people of Gallifrey.

_-Jack O'Neill-_

To tell the truth I was a little worried Daniel might get into trouble with the Doctor. Hey, the guy is practically the biggest trouble magnet in the world, and not a few larger parts of the universe.

The reason, well, I'd be worried the Doctor might think Danny-boy likes Rose.

When Rose called Daniel, I'd just about decided to call this TARDIS thing off, deal or no deal. The military can sulk all it wants, but when it comes to my team's life, I don't give a shit what they want.

Hey, they _called_ me out of retirement. Which means they _need_ me, probably more then I ever needed them.

The risk of Danny getting in the TARDIS and disappearing, or having a 'accident' is too much for my taste. Sure Carter might try to help, and it was doubtful Teal'c would have let them get away with anything; but we don't really know _anything_ about the Doctor or Rose.

What they are capable of, what to expect.

Therefore I'm sure I saw Hammond relax when I was called, he knows me enough to know what I'd do if Daniel was in danger- and I wasn't their to dig him out of it.

Yes, I realize Daniel a grown man, but he's as naive to some parts of human _and_ alien natures, as he is intelligent about human culture and language.

I didn't expect anything when I went into the TARDIS; I've learned not to take _anything_ for granted.

Gravity, physics, and laws of nature, hardly apply to people (like me and Danny) who travel to different worlds via ancient gates. And time/space travelers like the Doctor and Rose, who go around in blue police/phone booths for crying out loud.

I noticed early on that the Doctor was brooding, but Rose was busy so I took over in the 'getting the Doctor's mind off Bad Things'. I asked about the stars, no matter how many planets I visit, they will always fascinate me.

It was enough to distract him from whatever he may have been thinking on. The Doctor may look young, but 900 years be damned, his _eyes_ are old. Just like mine.

So we bonded talking about stars, I didn't pry about the worlds out there and he didn't ask about my own old eyes.

The kids, excuse me, Rose and Daniel were busy amusing themselves with the computers the Doctor had apparently deemed safe for us to know about. Danny didn't touch the computers- or the girl.

I think all four of us learned something. I also got a few some things from the Doctor the military would kill for, but won't know about. Let's just say languages will never be a problem for Danny and I, and calling on the Doctor if we really need saving won't be a problem either.

I promised to use it only if the world was in danger and one of us was endanger of dieing.

The Doctor doesn't know that happens nearly every time we go through the 'Gate. So I think I'll save it for when I want a talk with the Doctor, or for an escape plan/vacation. I think that's what he meant by 'emergency'.

Besides, visiting the planet with dogs-with-no-noses sounds amusing. Daniel would probably get a kick out of it.

Oh well, we've had our fun.

Now it's back to saving the universe, Sam's sulking, Teal'c and his raised eyebrow, and Hammond and his baldness.

I wonder if the Doctor will take the Asgard up on that deal, experiments in return for his people and world. It sounds like a good bargain to me, whatever he chooses Rose will stand by him.

It sure would be nice to see the Asgard without worrying if the whole of them will keel over. I've grown fond of the little guys, though maybe that's just me.


	12. The Doctor and the Operation

The Doctor watched as Daniel and Jack left, Rose turned to him a worried expression on her face.

"You didn't seem your usual self Doctor…" Rose said in a questioning tone as she came over to his side, leaning against the wall. The Doctor sighed and ran a hand through his hair, Rose noticed he looked exhausted -and just...not his usual 'cheery' self.

"Just thinking Rose, it's not everyday I get the chance to bring back an entire race of people, let alone my own." Rose nodded, she understood his situation more then any human could.

"It sounds easy, you know? Let the Asgard take the genes they need - they get to prolong their race. The Gadmeer bring back my people, and in doing so they get their allies and protectors back." The Doctor continued, and Rose only nodded.

"It sounds fantastic." Rose murmured, realizing that if the Doctor had his people back, he might not want to travel with Rose in the TARDIS anymore.

Rose looked down then to the side biting her bottom lip as she picked up some doohickey and turned it over, the sorrow inside of her seemed to overflow, and she didn't want her Doctor seeing her that way.

The Doctor frowned and glanced at her, noticing her sudden change in mood.

"So you approve?" The Doctor asked brows furled.

"Yeah, I mean it is what you want, _right_?" Rose asked softly, still not looking at him. The Doctor tilted his head, reaching out a hand to touch Rose's cheek and bringing it down to her chin tilting her face and burry eyes to meet his.

"What's all this for?" The Doctor murmured, his thumb brushing her tears off her cheeks. Rose blushed, blinking back her tears, noticing the Doctor's face was drawing closer.

"I-I'm afraid, that if you get your people back…will traveling with you- all this- will it be over?" Rose asked remorsefully blinking repeatedly to clear her tears and blurred vision.

"Oh Rose…" The Doctor kissed her sweetly on the lips and encircled her in a hug. The Doctor kissed the top of her head, one arm around her waist and the other running soothingly through her hair. Rose's fingers griped his leather jacket desperately and he rocked her soothingly.

"It's alright Rose. I promise you I won't go away…Even if they forbid it- which I doubt they'll do you know, because if the Gadmeer do what they say we'll be heroes you know…" The Doctor babbled, unsure of what to do about the crying girl in his arms, Rose let out a choked laugh.

"All better?" The Doctor asked, Rose nodded into his shoulder, holding him all the tighter when he tried to look at her face.

"Just hold me Doctor." Rose muttered into his ear, the Doctor nodded and obediently held her, rocking her soothingly. A while later Rose let out a shaky breath and gave him a squeeze, and he took that as a signal from her that it was alright to see her face.

"Are you going to be alright?" The Doctor asked, holding her cheek in his hand.

"Yeah." Rose said as she nodded and smiled gently at him.

" _Fantastic_ …" The Doctor said grinning widely.

"What do you say we say good bye to our new friends, eh?" The Doctor asked unsurely, Rose nodded. The Doctor led her out of the TARDIS with a arm around her waist, musing that it was good luck that Rose didn't look as if she had cried.

Or else one of the SGC might accuse him of some misdeed to keep the TARDIS in the 'Gate room a little longer. At that thought the Doctor couldn't help but smile wider.

The Doctor had seen how badly the thought of him reviving his people had affected Rose, and planned to turn the Asgard down. He knew that as long as he had Rose, he'd live, if only for her.

"That took a while." Jack commented as the Doctor and Rose joined SG-1 and Hammond in the briefing room. Daniel elbowed him the side, Jack snickered, and Rose blushing while the Doctor grinned.

"Have you made a decision regarding the Asgard and Gadmeer offer?" Hammond asked after clearing his throat meaningfully. The Doctor was about to turn the offer down when Rose interrupted.

"He'll do it." Rose said confidently, the Doctor frowned and turned to Rose questioningly.

"I thought you…" The Doctor started, Rose put a finger to his lips.

"You saw the Asgard, they need you, and if it gets your people back all the better. You promised Doctor, and I know you keep your promises." Rose told him with a half-happy half-sad smile as she let her hand fall away from his lips to the side of his face.

The Doctor nodded slowly, and he turned back to Hammond, who was clearly trying to hide a smile.

"Right then, I guess we'll be staying a bit longer then I thought." The Doctor said Jack had a huge _I-knew-it_ grin on his face. Sam was smiling softly at the couple, and Daniel was hiding a grin at the display of affection the two time travelers had shown.

Teal'c was the only one with a strait face, but Rose saw the crinkles around his eyes, and knew he approved.

There was a silver shine of light and the Asgard Thor appeared beside Rose and the Doctor.

"I can not tell you how grateful we are Doctor." Thor said solemnly, the Doctor nodded uneasily.

"Can we say good-bye?" Rose asked, glancing at the SG-1 and Hammond- Thor nodded.

"Well I guess we'll be seeing you." Jack said as he approached the Doctor and Rose, to give the Doctor a handshake and Rose a one armed hug, smirking over her head at the Doctor when she hugged him around the waist.

Jack let go when the rest of SG-1 approached, and the Doctor stuck his tongue out at Jack when Rose imminently went back to the Doctor's side, and let the Doctor's arm go back where it belonged- around her waist.

Sam approached Rose next, and the two hugged and Sam only nodded to the Doctor- who wouldn't stop grinning. Daniel approached and nodded to the both of them, being sure only to shake Rose's hand under the Doctor's watchful gaze.

Teal'c reached out a hand for Rose to shake but instead she hugged him, and the Doctor suppressed a wince at how cold he had been to the man because of the larvae inside of him.

The two shared an understanding nod and Hammond approached last, warmly shaking the twos hands. At last they were ready to go and nodded to Thor, who nodded back then while the Doctor was waving good-bye the silver shine appeared again- this time to take them away.

Thor led them to a room much like an operating clean-room, there was even a window for Rose to watch the procedure from.

"We will start right away; we won't take anything your body can't reproduce. I assure you this procedure will be quick and painless." Thor said as three other Asgard joined them.

"Follow me, Rose. They must begin." Thor said, nodding toward the other Asgard. Rose nodded and hugged the Doctor, who held her tightly then let her go when an Asgard tugged on his jacket to lead him to the table. Rose was led by Thor to the observation room.

"So what do I do?" The Doctor asked them as he lay down on the table.

"Just relax, we have began the procedure- if you feel any discomfort please tell us." One of the Asgard told him, the Doctor couldn't feel anything, and allowed himself to relax, obviously he had forgotten some of the perks of being poked and prodded by an advanced race.

Rose seated in the observation room watched anxiously as the three Asgard did things with utensils that didn't cut or draw blood, but only beeped and hummed oddly. Thor stood calmly next to her, as reassuring to her as a cliff being battered by a stormy sea.

"Why are his eyes open?" Rose asked softly, Thor blinked.

"He is awake, of course." Thor said as if it were as normal as the sky being blue.

"Why?" Rose asked confused, Thor glanced at her.

"To ensure he is not uncomfortable of course." Thor answered, to Rose it was a bit of a odd answer but she was reassured that whatever they were doing wasn't hurting him and allowed herself to relax if only a little.

The Asgard below suddenly put away their tools and the Doctor sat up as they left.

"Come Rose-Tyler, let us go see your Doctor and reassure him of your heath." Thor said blandly, but Rose was sure he was teasing her, but she followed him to her Doctor, who looked pleased to see her.

"How was it?" Rose asked worriedly, the Doctor laughed.

"Quick and painless, had me worried there Thor- some would say the same about death." The Doctor said Thor blinked at him.

"I wasn't aware of that; I apologize if I alarmed you." Thor said as he led them to another room- this one had the TARDIS in it.

"We thought you would rather it stay near you." Thor said when he saw the surprised looks on their faces. The Doctor nodded, and smiled at Thor.

"Thank you again Doctor. You will find your people on a restored Gallifrey, if you care to see the Gadmeers work." Thor announced as they prepared to enter the TARDIS, Rose and the Doctor shared a glance.

"I think we'll do just that Thor." The Doctor said as he led Rose inside the TARDIS, and waved once to Thor and went into the TARDIS.

Thor watched as the TARDIS's blared noisily as the lights flared and faded in time with the TARDIS's fading out of this time and into another.


	13. The Doctor goes to R'Gallifrey

**Epilogue**

_"Thank you again Doctor. You will find your people on a restored Gallifrey, if you care to see the Gadmeers work." Thor announced as they prepared to enter the TARDIS, Rose and the Doctor shared a glance._

_"I think we'll do just that Thor." The Doctor said as he led Rose inside the TARDIS, and waved once to Thor and went into the TARDIS._

_Thor watched as the TARDIS blared noisily as the lights flared and faded in time with the TARDIS's fading out of this time and into another._

**\- R'Gallifrey -**

The TARDIS noisy arrival had been expected, indeed even _anticipated_. The Gadmeer themselves were not on the planet- the 'teaching' of the Time Lords took place on either the Asgard ships or Gadmeer.

As most of what the Time Lord's needed to know was in their genes they wouldn't need to be taught very much. Therefore their arrival was greeted by the Asgard, who acted as babysitters, and Time Lords who, well, the fact was they were _babies_.

A fact which amused Rose, and abhorred the Doctor

"How adorable!" Rose cooed as the Doctor watched in horror as she coddled a baby girl.

"They're _infants_." The Doctor said telling everyone the obvious. The Asgard around him seemed to be amused, and by the Doctor glanced sharply at them- they weren't as polite and laughed mentally- which the Doctor heard.

"Indeed, your empire and planet may be rebuilt in a day- but its inhabitants can not be." The nearest Asgard told him. His lip twitched and he pouted a little bit.

"Why _not_?" The Doctor whined, then his eyes widened and he covered his mouth. Rose couldn't help her giggles and the baby gurgled happily. Blushing slightly the Doctor put his hand down.

"Do you know what this _means_?" The Doctor again whined, Rose shook her head "It _means_ that until they learn to shield themselves _I'll_ mentally hear _and_ feel what they do!" The Doctor explained Rose's lips twitched faintly.

"Or you could 'shield' yourself." Rose told him while gently rocking the baby Time Lady. The Doctor opened his mouth to counter her, closed it with a blandly shocked expression as he realized that _would_ work, and then grinned.

"Rose, have I told you how brilliantly _fantastic_ you are?" The Doctor said as he shielded himself so that he could feel if they were alive and well- but not so that they're feelings would interrupt his thinking and feelings.

Rose only smiled pleased at him as she gave the infant girl back to the Asgard.

"Doctor, we hope you will not object- but we have taken to calling this planet R'Gallifrey." An Asgard said; the Doctor nodded an odd expression on his face.

"Alright, mind if I look around?" The Doctor asked, looking at the city beyond them, Rose went back to him worried about his blank face.

"No, in fact, we insist you do. I am Vili, I will be the one to guild you." A baby less Asgard said stepping foreword, the Doctor glanced once more at the infants, and looked relived that Vili didn't have one with him.

They walked for a while and Rose took the time to stare at the city around her. The sky when she looked up and to the side she saw the sky was blue outside the city- but around the city its sky was rust colored (Rose wondered why this was and resolved to ask the Doctor later).

Yet if Rose looked foreword out of the city it was all amber-tinted. The trees were silver leafed, and everything inside the city was oddly orderly.

The Doctor seemed lost in his thoughts and Rose didn't have the heart to say anything to disturb him- apparently Vili didn't share the same reservations.

"Is it like you remembered it?" Vili asked, The Doctor shuddered, likely disturbed by the apparent same-ness and only nodded silently. Rose touched his arm worriedly and he sighed deciding to say something.

"It's odd, you know, to see something I thought was lost forever." Rose didn't really understand. All she had to compare what the Doctor was going through as was when she saw Earth destroyed -and then stood on it in her own time dazed and relieved.

The Doctor tilted he head at a building squinting at it, as if trying to recall something. Suddenly his face grew a bit pale and he glanced at Vili.

"You brought the Panopticon _here_?" The Doctor asked choking slightly on his words; Vili nodded blinking at him slowly.

"Of course and the two parts of the Matrix the Time Lords entrusted to us." The Doctor paled glancing at the building again then he sucked in a breath.

"Doctor what's wrong?" Rose asked quietly a feeling of fear crawling up her spine at the Doctor's reactions to these pieces of news. The Doctor looked at her and seemed to realize he was scaring her and let out the breath he'd sucked in.

"You see Rose the Panopticon held two things- the Matrix, which was- _is_ , in short understandable human terms; a vast extra-dimensional computer network which acts as the repository of _all_ Time Lord _knowledge_ as well as containing the memories of _dead_ Time Lords." Rose could see how that would worry the Doctor…

"I thought it was _gone_ forever. It was completely destroyed on Gallifrey by the Time War's but apparently on one of my trips through time they created _another_ , probably with the same information and abilities. Put it in two parts and gave it to our closest allies. Which I suspect is also how the Asgard and Gadmeer knew so much about Gallifrey _they_ told them. When the babies get older that's how _they_ intend to teach them…with the Matrix." The Doctor explained in a rush as he went into the building and went to what looked like an elevator, Rose and Vili had had to practically run after him to catch up.

"I can see how that would be of some significance, but why does this Pano-thingy have you worried?" The Doctor threw her an amused glance at her inability to say 'Panopticon' but answered her.

"It's not the Panopticon, call it Capitol if you must- that has me worried it's what's under the Panopticon. The Eye of Harmony, a peaceful sounding name for what had powered the TARDIS and other ships like her- the _nucleus_ of a _black hole_." The Doctor told then, Vili didn't meet the Time Lord's eyes when the Doctor looked at him, causing the Time Lord to look pained.

"The Matrix led us here; the 'Eye of Harmony' was already here, the Matrix insisted it was necessary for the survival of your people Doctor. We assumed it was true…" Vili said, feeling as if he owed them some explanation.

"It is in a way. I know the Matrix would have preferred us to have the TARDIS technology." The Doctor answered, patting him on the shoulder. Rose glanced at the Doctor and shifted uncomfortable.

"Does that mean we are going to see a black hole?" Rose asked, the Doctor looked at her and smiled.

"Yes, nervous?" The Doctor chirped- Rose scowled at him, which only made him grin. "Just a little bit." Rose added looking down. The Doctor gave her a hug and the elevator stopped and the Doctor got out followed by Vili. Rose however refused to move as she remembered something very important about black holes.

"Um, Doctor, won't the black hole suck us in?" Rose asked from inside the elevator. The Doctor heard her and glanced at Vili and blinked.

"No, we're protected form it as long as we stay away from the edge of the balcony." The Doctor reassured her, Rose frowned confused and followed him. Rose stepped out and immediately knew what the Doctor meant. She edged toward the Doctor and stayed near him while the Doctor looked on at the nucleus and shook his head.

"You asked me if it was familiar Vili, I think it's too much the same…" The Doctor told the Asgard who didn't respond, the Doctor turned to Rose who looked up at him.

"Come on, I think there are too many ghosts from Gallifrey on R'Gallifrey." The Doctor said as he headed back to the elevator, Vili reluctantly following after them, the trip up was made in silence save for their breathing.

"The Matrix said you would know how to control The Eye of Harmony and the Matrix." Vili said as the elevator doors opened, the Doctor looked back sadness in his eyes.

"Tell it I have the Rassilon artifacts. I won't let them fall into the hands of an infant race no matter who their teachers are." The Doctor turned back and left Vili putting his hand on Rose's back and they guided themselves back to the TARDIS.

"Is it just me or was that not the homecoming you were hoping for?" Rose asked as she leaned on one of the spiraling pillars in the TARDIS. The Doctor shook his head.

"It's different but too much the same…I traveled before Gallifrey was destroyed you know. Partly to escape that sameness to Gallifrey I felt in R'Gallifrey, partly because I wanted to see what was out there with my own eyes." The Doctor told her as he started the TARDIS, deciding to see if the home of the Alterans- the Ancients, and see what had become of Atlantis.

When the Doctor put it that way Rose thought she understood why he was leaving. Rose only hoped he would be willing to tell her about the rust-colored sky around the city- and whatever the Rassilon artifacts were.

The Doctor sighed, feeling that the TARDIS was using the energy of the nucleus of the black hole as it was designed to. Already things were changing; he only hoped it was for the better.


	14. The Doctor Is At Atlantis

The Doctor hummed and sighed as he stared at the ceiling of the TARDIS. Rose watched him amused; apparently he felt there was nothing to fiddle with.

He had told her that the TARDIS had once been powered by the Eye of Harmony, the nucleus of a black hole, and that the one on R'Gallifrey worked just as well as the one on Gallifrey and that the TARDIS had accepted it as a new power source.

"Doctor?" Rose finally asked growing tired of his boredom. The Doctor looked at her blinking. "Yes, Rose?"

"Why are the skies on R'Gallifrey so odd? The sky over and around the city on R'Gallifrey rust colored, and the sky outside it blue." Rose asked looking down at the Doctor on the floor, who smiled up at her.

"Because my cleaver Rose, the city was shielded- as the old Gallifrey was, only most of it was shielded unlike with R'Gallifrey where only the city is." The Doctor answered, grinning up at her.

"Are you going to ask me why the leaves are silver next?" The Doctor asked, sounding eager to answer this question. Rose smiled sliding down to sit next to where the Doctor laid.

The Doctor scooted up to lay his head in Rose's lap while Rose looked down at him fondly bushing back his hair. The Doctor didn't wait to know whither she wanted to know why the leaves on Gallifrey were silver as he rushed to tell her anyway.

"They are silver because unlike the plants on Earth, R'Gallifrey, just like Gallifrey's plants get 'food' from the moon instead of the sun." The Doctor told her as he brushed a stray strand of blond hair from her face.

Rose blushed but wouldn't be deterred- she wanted to know _everything_ about him.

"What are the Rassilon artifacts?" Rose asked softly, the Doctor didn't look to happy at her question but answered while looking to the side.

"Well, they are things that would allow a Gallifreyan to control the Matrix and the Eye of Harmony. There's a few of them, and they all have Rassilon in the name. Rassilson was a leader of my people in our earlier history." The Doctor answered vaguely, but Rose was content with that knowledge.

"So where are we going?" Rose asked curiously, the Doctor grinned, a mischievous expression on his face.

"Ever heard of Atlantis?" The Doctor asked, Rose nodded confused, which caused the Doctor to grin all the more.

"Yeah, it's a mythological sunken city." Rose answered, the Doctor sat up and looked at the TARDIS's controls.

"Nope it's as real as you and me. Know those people SGC referred to as 'Ancients'? Well they really are called the Alterans, an they really did have a city called Atlantis." The Doctor said getting up and helping Rose to her feet.

The TARDIS stopped and the two shared a grin and started for the door.

"So did it really sink?" Rose asked as the Doctor opened the door.

"Don't know- it's in the Pegasus galaxy, haven't been there for a while. It should be fun!" The Doctor exclaimed, Rose grinned back, and the Doctor open the door of the TARDIS.

"Why do they look like humans?" Rose asked quietly as the two stared at the shocked crowd that had gathered hearing the blaring of the TARDIS. The Doctor looked them, scientists and military, and sighed running a hand through his hair.

"Because we _are_ humans- _what_ are _you_!" A man, who was clearly a scientist by the way he looked at the TARDIS, questioned them in a suspicious fashion. The Doctor judged by the way he asked said question that he was the sarcastic sort and thought he knew it all.

 _Boy does he have a lot to learn_ , the Doctor thought as he surveyed their surroundings. Military were finally reacting to the 'threat' by raising their guns a little half heartedly.

To give them some credit, all _they_ knew was a teenage girl and mid-aged man had arrived in a rather noisy blue police box. They weren't much of a threat when you thought of it that way.

A woman- fit, and who held the air of someone who was in charge took a step foreword. She had brown hair cut to her shoulders and a somewhat formfitting suit.

"I am Elizabeth Weir, from Earth; please tell us who you are." The Doctor snorted 'please tell us who you are' indeed! Well it was the politest order he'd ever been given so he thought he ought to 'obey'.

"Well this is Rose, she's from Earth too. England actually- you might not what to hurt her, her Mum is bloody scary with a pot." The Doctor told them seriously, or as seriously as he could manage to without bursting into laughter at their faces.

"Did you say Rose- as in Rose Tyler? The Rose that travels with the Doctor?" A rather attractive man with wildish brown hair who reminded the Doctor of a younger version of O'Neill interrupted. The Doctor raised an eyebrow when the man waved and the military people lowered their guns, some looking relieved.

"Just the one, it seems now that you know who we are- who are you?" The Doctor chirped with a grin, wondering if he would have to do something about the boy with the way Rose was looking at him.

"Sorry I'm Lt. Col John Sheppard, military commander of Atlantis. You were mentioned in all the SG-1 members' logs- they said that the TARDIS- the blue police box, lets you travel in time and space and dimensions and stuff." The Doctor raised an eyebrow at him, and he seemed to shuffle his feet.

"Didn't they make some kind of deal with them? Two members saw inside the TARDIS- then they made some sort of deal with the Asgard and Gadmeer." The scientist who'd been the first to say anything added.

"That's right. Just who are you people?" Rose asked, though they both felt they knew- they wanted verbal confirmation.

"Well I'm Rodney McKay, and they are Ronan Dex and Teyla." The scientist- Rodney started obviously intending to name everyone in Atlantis.

Though the two he had named and pointed out were…interesting, Ronan was buff, tanned, and had dark eyes and dark hair. Teyla was athletic in a feminine way, also had dark skin- but had red hair, which the Doctor thought was odd but wouldn't question- for now.

Sheppard interrupted before Rodney could name more names.

"We're the Atlantis team for the SGC." Sheppard said simply grinning at Rose who smiled back.

" _Fantastic_ \- SGC got here ahead of us Rose…" The Doctor whined, Rose grinned at the Doctor and he winked back. Weir cleared her throat and the two time travelers turned to her.

"I assume you are staying here?" Weir asked, but since she knew the answer it was more for appearances then an actual question. None the less the Doctor nodded earning a pleased smile from Weir.

"Excellent, Sheppard and his team will escort you to your rooms- then show you what we know of Atlantis. By then it will be night and in the morning I'll expect you in my office." Weir was obviously used to getting her way and after they nodded, Rose slightly dazed from the woman's brisk manner, she left them with Sheppard, Rodney, Ronan, and Teyla.

"You'll have to excuse her- she's just had a rather large … shock, I believe the term is." Teyla said softly smiling gently at them.

As Weir had left the whole of Atlantis who had been curious of the odd noise left, for now satisfied that it had been allies. Although most of the scientists left reluctantly; throwing envious glances at Rodney, who didn't _seem_ to care or notice.

The Doctor shrugged looking around at the city, a faint smile on his lips. Rose, now that there were less people, took time to look around as well- she gripped the Doctor's arm to reassure herself that this _was_ real- and that no harm could befall her here.

"I guess we'll be doing that tour first." Sheppard mused aloud with a grin and glancing at each member of his team- none of them voiced any objections.


	15. The Doctor Finds A Big Mistake

"So what do _you_ know of the Ancients?" Rodney McKay asked the Doctor, who glanced at Rose. Rose rolled her eyes while looking around, the Doctor smirked and turned back to Rodney.

"Well let's see, technology was fairly well off. They were a paranoid lot though- you had to have their genes to operate their technology. I suppose you people know that though, as the city responded well enough to you. They also built the bridges to different worlds, and to my knowledge they are as extinct as my people are- sorry, were..." The Doctor rambled while looking around Atlantis.

"So your people existed around that same time as the Ancestors?" Teyla asked curiously from behind him, the Doctor nodded. Rose spun around walking backwards and looking up, while the Doctor hovered near her nervous about her falling.

" Yap, used to be an alliance between the four 'supreme' races." The Doctor told her- Teyla had moved to walk beside him, and he grinned when her eyes widened with surprise.

"What happened?" Ronan asked softly, also keeping a wary eye on antics of Rose.

"Well it fell obviously- part of it is reforming. The Asgard and Gadmeer are recreating the Time Lords the best they can. There is no sign of the Nox although truthfully that isn't unusual." The Doctor answered blandly, Rodney noticed that he didn't talk about what happened to break it up, and resolved to figure out the answer from clues the other races left.

Added to the fact that the Doctor had left out the Ancients- ascended or not, it was all very suspicious. Rose walked foreword once more and Sheppard gestured to a pair of doors. Rose bit her lip and looked at the Doctor who shrugged.

"We don't need rooms Sheppard- the TARDIS will provide for us." The Doctor said plainly disliking the idea of being separated from Rose- or the TARDIS, for very long.

"Suit yourselves- so where to first?" Sheppard said while he shrugged. The Doctor looked down at Rose who grinned at Sheppard- causing the Doctor's expression to darken minutely before returning to the normal 'jokesters' mask.

He hadn't known that Teyla and Ronan had seen the change; both exchanged glances then waited for Rose's response. The Doctor didn't seem in any rush to see anything- perhaps he had seen it all while the Ancients had been there.

"I want to see their ships- they had ships didn't they Doctor? They built world-gates they should have ships somewhere." Rose said, the Doctor nodded and she beamed up at him.

"Alright, to the hanger it is." Sheppard said with a playful smile. When Rose smiled back at the Lt. Col. the Doctor felt something stirring in his gut. It took him a moment to realize it was jealousy.

He swallowed, and there was fear there too. He knew why- he wasn't oblivious to Sheppard and Rose's flirting, he had Rose- now it felt like he had to fight to keep her.

He resolved to talk to the both of them when he had the time, or they did- whichever one came quicker.

The Doctor heard Rose inhale sharply and looked around- it was impressive. The Doctor frowned, he knew the Ancients. They were powerful- their armada had been second only to the Time Lords- there had to be more ships lying somewhere undiscovered in the city.

The Doctor was about to say something, but noticed the way Sheppard was eyeing Rose and decided not to mention it.

"How deep into the city have you gone?" The Doctor asked instead, noticing with increasing worry that he hadn't seen too many people- had something happened to them?

"Sadly we've only been here half a year- so not very far I'm afraid." Sheppard admitted reluctantly, the Doctor was secretly relieved that they hadn't suffered plague or diseases.

"Anything strange here?" The Doctor asked vaguely, searching his memory of what he remembered of the city. There wasn't much but he did remember something about building human-like machines.

"There was a shadow creature that sucked energy from things- I sent it through the 'Gate though. There are also, well, Wraith who suck life from you. We think that like the Goa'uld they were parasites early in evolution- and then evolved." Rodney told the Doctor, the Doctor tilted his head staring- supposedly- at the far wall.

"Fascinating, any ideas on what they were using the shadow-creature for?" The Doctor asked as if it was trivial, which made Rose look curiously at him.

He was acting very unlike the Doctor she knew and loved. Her Doctor would act enchanted by such things, would sound fascinated even if it was something she suspected he knew, and do it all with that mischievous grin on his face.

She decided to find out what was wrong- no matter how interesting Sheppard was. Something felt wrong, and Rose after traveling with the Doctor for so long knew when to follow her gut.

"I suspect they were testing to see how it became so intangible. Perhaps it was even a step in learning to Ascend." Rodney said smugly, the four seemed to wait for the Doctor's reaction.

"Rose, do me a favor- step into that- what do you call it?" The Doctor asked Sheppard, who blinked.

"Puddle-jumper." The Doctor's lips twitched and he continued.

"Puddle- jumper and think about flying, aye?" The Doctor asked her.

Rose glanced at the Doctor- then the rest of Sheppard's team, none of them seemed upset by the idea. Rose picked a 'puddle-jumper' and went in- Sheppard and his team and the Doctor following her in.

Rose sat carefully at the controls and looked at the Doctor- not Sheppard, for instructions.

It was only a feeling the Doctor had, he had nothing to base it off, but the city seemed to respond to her. He was only testing a theory, and if it worked, well he hoped it wouldn't change things for them too much.

"Touch the control, and just…think about hovering- gently, like how a butterfly flies. Alright?" The Doctor instructed, Rose waited till he finished- putting to mind butterflies and flying and nervously touched the control panel.

Almost eagerly the puddle-jumper lurched into the sky to hover ten feet off the ground. Rose grinned and looked at the Doctor who wore a proud smile.

" _Fantastic_ \- now just think of landing, _gently_." The Doctor warned, and Rose did as well landing as taking off, when it was on the ground she turned and got up.

For the first time she saw shock on the faces of Sheppard and his team. Nervous and somewhat fearful she glanced at the Doctor who only smiled at her, she couldn't help but smile back as emotions of contentment and love for him seemed to fill her up till she couldn't feel fear or anxiety.

"She has the Ancient gene?" Rodney finally blurted out in a tone that suggested such a thing was ridiculous. The Doctor glared at him, smiling all the while.

"And why shouldn't she?" He asked Rodney, who had no response and only swallowed down the sarcastic comment that wanted out. Something about these two made him less inclined to bait them. He didn't know what it was.

It probably largely lay with the Doctor who smiled as if it was a mask. A perfected mask- but a mask all the same.

Sheppard coughed politely, bringing the Doctor's attention fully on the Lt. Col.'s shoulders. _Better John then me_ , a small part of Rodney whispered- he quickly shoved it down.

"Well then I guess we should head back to where the TARDIS and Weir are, if you two are sure you want to sleep in there?" Sheppard asked, the Doctor nodded curtly, Rose simply smiled.

"Quite sure, there is more then enough room." The Doctor murmured softly fondly smiling at nothing in particular.

Teyla and Ronan shared another look. The blue-box hadn't looked all that big- but appearances were deceiving- perhaps it was larger on the inside then out.

They could only wonder how much bigger.

So it was that they led them back to the 'Gate room, where the TARDIS sat waiting. The Doctor was glad the TARDIS had the sense not to park in front of the 'Gate. He had seen the rush of 'water' that came out and knew it for what it was- destructive.

Suddenly something near whispered in his mind- a whisper he hadn't heard since his people fell. He knew it wasn't a fellow Time Lord or Lady though- but he did know it was one of the old alliances.

Could it be an Ancient? Perhaps frozen here waiting to be released? The Doctor frowned slightly and stared at a certain door. A door the Atlantis team only knew contained a holographic projector.

"What's in there?" Rose asked in a curious tone having seen where the Doctor was staring.

The Doctor frowned and moved to the door of the room, pressing his ear against it.

"It's just a holographic projection room; it eats up a lot of power if you go inside." Rodney answered, the Doctor did seem to care as the doors slid open- and when he had stepped through they slammed shut.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled pounding her fists against the door. Her heart caught in her throat- and the people they were with seemed just as surprised if not more so.

"I'm fine Rose!" The Doctor hollered back through the door, he heard Rose stop pounding and looked at the supposed holographic projector in front of him.

A woman appeared, yet nothing else turned on. The Doctor's eyes widened and his mouth formed a 'o' of surprise.

"Welcome back to Atlantis, Doctor…"


	16. The Doctor Meets A "Ancient" Dilemma

_A woman appeared, yet nothing else turned on. The Doctor's eyes widened and his mouth formed a 'o' of surprise._

_"Welcome back to Atlantis, Doctor…"_

"You're supposed to be dead." The Doctor muttered while circling the woman.

She was tall- but not as tall as he was. Green eyes seemed to glow down at him.

Her hair was golden – and long enough to be braided to her waist. She wore white, a uniform of a sort that the Doctor recognized from the time he had been to Atlantis before.

Her body was in a haze of light surrounding it- but the Doctor knew that was for more effect then actual power.

"The Alterans have evolved- we are ascended." The woman told him- keeping her eyes on the Doctor.

"Right, they call you the Ancients or Ancestors now- right?" The Doctor asked, still suspicious. The woman nodded- then held up her hand to pacify him.

"We have done nothing wrong Doctor- we have not interfered." The woman added seeing that he didn't believe him.

"Oh I doubt that- I truly do. If I started asking these people questions- digging around a little bit perhaps? I'd find traces of you- and the rest of the 'ascended' of that I have little doubt." The Doctor said stopping in front of the woman.

Her face looked down-heartened and the Doctor sealed his heart- he wouldn't sympathize with her unless he knew exactly what was happening- because something was wrong here.

"Doctor- we know you are the last of the Time Lords. You visited us once- when we were allies, can we not have an alliance again? We know you are equal to us." She asked the Doctor shook his head.

"If you wanted the alliance you would have approached the others. No you don't want an alliance- you want a guarantee I won't come after you." The Doctor said looking her in the eyes- seeming to see into her soul to get to the heart of the matter.

: _That is correct._ : Her voice echoed in his head, and the Doctor shoved her out of his mind violently by forcing images of death and chaos at her.

She flinched, and narrowed his eyes at him.

"If you do not agree to let us be we will ensure that you can not move against us." She threatened, the Doctor frowned confused then his eyes widened.

 _Rose_.

"Rose! Don't touch anything- alright?" The Doctor hollered through the door. Rose had their DNA- they could _make_ her ascend!

The ascended woman nodded, a smirk curling her lips- it seemed she could hear his thoughts if he wasn't careful. The block hadn't worked on her because she was not a Time Lord.

"That's right Doctor; if you attempt to destroy us- we will make your beloved human into one of us…" The woman said confirming his suspicion.

"How?" The Doctor demanded- besides her DNA there had to be a key to this ascension and that key might help him get her back if something went wrong.

"All that ascension requires is a certain combination of spirit and intelligence –a will to not die, and another ascended to help the process along - morals and law are hoped for but irrelevant." The blond added.

"What is your name?" The Doctor demanded- the woman smirked.

"Aloria, I too am from Gallifrey." She answered, The Doctor kept her eyes on him as she moved closer- so she wasn't an Alterans she was a former Time Lady.

"Be warned Doctor- even you will face death someday- and when you do know that you have the ability to become ascended. If you destroy us- you won't and you are still very young." Aloria added then disappeared- no flash- no fading- just there and then not.

The Doctor swallowed; it was a clear threat yet a hidden offer. The Doctor's icy blue eyes narrowed and he glanced at the door. If he allowed the ascended to continue they would leave Rose alone- but not these people.

There was a possibility that they had hinted at- that they would 'ascend' Rose and he- and while they would 'die' they would still be together.

Then again Aloria's little speech had given him an insight- the Alterans; and all beings that had ascended since had something in common. What was worse- something 'ascended' had helped the Alterans change into the Ancients instead of dieing off.

Whatever he chose their world be consequences- perhaps worse ones then he realized. None the less he would look into just what the Ancients had done. Meanwhile- he had to watch out for Rose.

As if he had willed it the door's opened- Rose ran to him engulfing him in a hug. He looked up to see Sheppard and his team- and even more military personal who had been summoned to help.

"Are you okay?" Sheppard asked. The Doctor nodded- he could only imagine what he looked like. Perhaps pale, wide eyed, and with scuffed- up hair?

"Yeah- I'll be alright." The Doctor answered- not untruthfully, with Rose clinging to him- he knew he was real- that she was real. And that the 'conversation' with Aloria, an ascended of Gallifrey, had also been real.

Rose closed her eyes as she hugged him- the comforting beat of his two hearts, his scent. She had been so afraid of losing him, yet he was safe and she felt everything was fantastic so long as the Doctor held her.

His hand ran through her hair and she knew that was his silent signal to let him go- and to comfort her.

She released him stood on her tip-toes and kissed him on the cheek. The Doctor grinned, childish and mischievous once more, at her. The he looked at the raised platform.

"Rose- will you promise me something?" She tilted her head; brown eyes staring into his blue ones- he had never asked her to do anything.

He leaned toward her to whisper in her ear- "Promise me to be _careful_ \- don't risk your life- not even for me; _alright_?" Rose frowned and nodded- confused but willing to let the Doctor have his way.

Rose knew that he was being extra cautious- the question was why?

Sheppard coughed- he and the rest looked slightly uncomfortable at the display. Teyla had a look in her eye that said she thought he was being rude- and the two were 'cute' together. Ronan snorted- and Rodney rolled his eyes.

"What happened in here?" Sheppard asked the Doctor with a raised eyebrow.

"An odd thing…" The Doctor murmured. The Atlantis team glanced among each other – but Rose only frowned at the Doctor. The same thought ran through the rest of their minds.

What was so 'odd' to make the Doctor seem afraid?


	17. The Doctor Questions Himself

_What was so 'odd' to make the Doctor seem afraid?_

The Doctor cleared his throat- and Sheppard correctly took that as a hint to get the tour started again.

Sheppard led them to the cafeteria- and Rose's stomach growled and she was reminded of a need to eat. The Doctor glanced at her; she could tell he was amused- with that faint grin tilting the edges of his lips.

Sheppard sat the group down at a table near to the doors they had just entered through.

"May I take your orders?" Sheppard asked them both in a teasing tone. Rose couldn't help but laugh- and the Doctor glanced toward where the food was being served.

He didn't recognize anything. So he shrugged and glanced at Rose- silently telling her to order for him. She smiled softly at the Doctor and turned her attention back to Sheppard.

"Two of today's special." Rose told him.

"As you wish." Sheppard teased with a grin. John turned and left them to the tender mercies of Teyla and Rodney while Ronan went with John to get them some food.

"While I'm not as well-informed as Lt. Col. Sheppard is of your encounter with SGC. I do know that Major Carter is still rather…vexed you didn't allow her to see inside the TARDIS." Rodney began after gaining eye contact with the Doctor.

The Doctor didn't seem upset to hear this, and truth to tell- Rose thought he looked rather amused.

"However you let Doctor Jackson see the history of your people- and as he is an anthropologist he remembered all of it. He recorded it- " Rodney paused at the Doctors shocked expression settled into a curious one. Likely he was wondering what _else_ the good doctor remembered from their first encounter. Rodney continued with a flourish. "However there hasn't been much use for it as you haven't showed up in a few years."

"Years did you say?" Rose asked interested in knowing just how long it had taken Earth to find Atlantis.

" _Yes_ , and we've actually gotten spaceships since then." Rodney was rather proud of this fact so it surprised him that the Doctor only blinked mildly at him.

Rose resisted the urge to ask outright- once she looked at the Doctor's face she knew something was up.

Rodney, she realized, acted as if he knew them- but they didn't. So it did not bid well to ask about their future- his past. It might change something the Doctor wouldn't, or couldn't, reverse.

"Good for you." The Doctor answered mildly; as if what Rodney had let slip wasn't a big deal- his answer clearly frustrated the scientist. As if it was an argument they had had before, Rose noticed Sheppard roll his eyes.

She wondered if he had known them too- besides the mission reports. He had gotten them a warm enough welcome.

It had been almost too easy- the first time they had met SG-1 it had anything but. Even with meeting them previously- they hadn't _done_ anything for the SGC; it was all beginning to be clear.

Somehow they had been in Rodney's past. Sheppard trusted them enough to let them walk around Atlantis with a mild guard- and remain unquestioned until they were comfortable-all that through a report he had read and Rodney's previous experience with them.

Rose swallowed, and the Doctor kept his face mild. It wouldn't due to excite them- or inform them that anything was amiss. They were who they claimed- just not the Rose and Doctor that Rodney had met.

This realization occurred in only a few seconds and Rose had learned early how to hold her expression in check in such times.

Teyla had remained silent through the brief conversation. She was watching them carefully though. It was obvious that while Rodney was familiar with them- she and Ronan probably didn't know them at all.

It was relieving that they'd only have to be watchful around Rodney and not anyone else. There was always a possibility, so the Doctor decided to open his senses, and mind, to his surroundings it would also help him orient himself.

The Doctor smiled and nodded to Sheppard and Ronan, who were returning with _something_ he already knew he wouldn't touch it- although Rose would try to- if only to be polite.

She probably shouldn't have bothered they looked like military rations- tasteless but enough to keep one going. Unknowingly to her most civilians in the room looked a bit sickened at this sad fact.

The Doctor decided to take advantage and while Rose was sampling the 'food'; he 'felt' for things.

His eyes widening was the only reaction the group saw- and it could have been contributed to the food- so no one questioned it.

The Doctor knew that there had been war-ships, probably hidden in Atlantis- or on the planet… but he hadn't expected so many.

There were hundreds of them- enough to protect Earth and its allies- all of them with spicks of a soul that would recognize the Ancient gene in the humans' here- and in the natives of the Pegasus galaxy.

Not just space ships- some like the Jumpers could go underwater as well as space and air flight.

Some could go _underground_ \- and there were five huge ships- hidden in the ocean. The Doctor knew the Ancients would have stored massive amounts of supplies on those ships.

When the Ancients had gone to Earth they had left their machines- all scattered, hidden and waiting, on the planet. Trusting that they would return- or their descendents would find it and need it.

There were other things- clues on how to Ascend, to travel through time alike to the Time Lords, technology that had been shared by the great races. All of it hidden, waiting for them to find it- the Doctor chuckled.

It was like the Ancients to do that, riddles and clues were how they had became what they had been.

Playing with ideas- and it was maddening that the Time Lords had met such a playful race and imposed their views and strictness on them.

The Ancients had needed that as the wars had escalated- but their changing had brought the Law of noninterference that the Doctor so often broke. There was no harm in helping a race; there was harm in ignoring it to an extent that it destroyed the people in the race.

The Time Lords had met such an end because of that rule, or so the Doctor felt.

"Aren't you hungry?" Teyla asked, as the Doctor hadn't touched his food. He shook his head.

"Nah, I'd probably be ill if I tried." The Doctor teased Sheppard, who shook his head while grinning widely, as if in dismay that the Doctor didn't like the food. Ronan grinned, probably deciding to trust the Doctor for now.

"Do Time Lords eat?" Teyla asked, and Rodney looked upset that he hadn't thought to ask that question. Rose laughed, covering her mouth with her hand to stifle the laughter- afraid of offending Teyla or any of the rest. Her eyes glittered with suppressed mirth- and the Doctor thought she was lovely.

"Only when we need to- 'sides everything needs to eat." The Doctor answered, smiling at Teyla who nodded thoughtfully- a small smile on her lips when she glanced at Rose.

He comment had an effect the Doctor hadn't intended- Sheppard grew solemn- and Ronan's fist clenched the fork.

"Is something the matter?" Rose asked softly, noticing the mood had changed. The Doctor was sad to see her laughter stop- though he didn't know why.

"Well, Atlantis is facing a crisis- there are a people who call themselves the Wraith. They eat by sucking the life out of you- by their hand." Sheppard answered his eyes on the table, though the rest of his body remained relaxed. The Doctor knew he was saddened- but trusted them enough to tell them the truth.

"I- we, woke them up. When we came here from Earth I mean…People here are suffering because we did that…" Sheppard admitted though it clearly pained him to do so.

"It's not our fault- they'd have woken up sooner or later." Rodney added- as if to reassure Sheppard, who nodded sighing then straitening and looking the Doctor in the eye.

"The Keeper killed my Commander- leaving me in charge of this…Not that I'd have it any other way- it just feels like I'm not doing all I can- even if Weir says we are." Sheppard- and the others looked surprised John had shared that bit of himself. The Doctor only smiled grimly- a real smile.

"I'd start looking on the planet for answers- the Ancients might have left some bigger gifts then your Jumpers for their descendents. I assure you Sheppard- you are one of their descendents- or as close as anything left. Not even the Ascended are true Ancients anymore." The Doctor answered- he felt the deserved to know a little of what he had felt- after all he hadn't told them _where_ to look- only to look.

Sheppard nodded slowly, and then noticing no one (except Rose) had really eaten anything.

"Well I guess we'd better continue that tour- then get you two back to the TARDIS for some rest." Sheppard said- Rose nodded and the six got up. Leading them on to the lab where Rodney and the other scientists worked- the Med-Bay, the training room- and finally back to the TARDIS- and the Stargate.

Weir had put two guards in the 'Gate room- the Doctor wasn't worried as they showed a proper amount of awe for the TARDIS and wouldn't go near it.

Besides- the Doctor had some thinking to do.

After being shown around Atlantis – or as much of Atlantis as they knew of, he came to the conclusion that they _obviously_ didn't know about Aloria- or the ancient weapons.

That was probably how she wanted to keep it. The question was- did he?


	18. The Doctor's Final Decision

The Doctor led Rose to her room in the TARDIS, got a good-night kiss that made it all worth while, and then he wondered back to the TARDIS's core. The control panels- it was the heart of the TARDIS made visible.

Or so the Doctor felt.

The Doctor had been there for hours- just thinking, Time Lords really didn't need 'sleep' as humans knew it.

Most Time Lords preferred meditation. It gave their bodies rest, but let their minds wander- and let them be ready in a moment if something unfortunate occurred.

The only time they were _that_ helpless was when after a regeneration, when they went into a kind of coma-sleep. That reminded him, he still hadn't told Rose anything about the regenerations.

The thing that bothered him the most was that Rodney _knew_ them. Or the Doctor _suspected_ Rodney did-… based on _one_ off-hand comment.

Until the Doctor had a talk with Rodney that's all it would be -a guess.

One off-hand comment and one guess, that might serve as a warning for the Doctor to tread carefully, for time was an unstable thing.

As all Time Lords knew, nothing was writ in stone- a warning of danger the Doctor was not about to forget.

 _Speck- or in this case, think of the Devil_. The Doctor thought amused as Aloria appeared in a flash of silvery lights.

"Greeting Doctor." Aloria said warmly, as if they were old friends. The Doctor stood, and with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow addressed his uninvited, if half-expected, 'guest'.

"Don't you 'ascended' know to knock? Or have manners _and_ sense deserted you in your quest to control what can't be controlled?" The Doctor said scathingly, annoyed with Aloria though she had barely spoken two words to him in _his_ TARDIS.

She had said quite enough as far as he was concerned. Bribing him with Rose's life- and 'immortality' of a sort- for both of them, _if_ they left the ascended Ancients plans for the humans here alone.

The Doctor had made up his mind, however.

He would _point out_ every weapon, and technology, the Ancients had ever held and created for the humans. Rose would be safe, _if_ she stayed inside the TARDIS. The TARDIS would keep her alive and well.

Aloria had gotten in, not because she was ascended, but because she was a former Time Lady. If the Doctor made it clear to the TARDIS that no ascended, not even ones who had been Time Lords, were welcomed by the Doctor, she would protect them from the ascended.

"Well, I had hoped you had time to cool-down and see our way of things." Aloria murmured- as if dismayed, although by the look in her eyes the Doctor knew she was pleased with herself.

"None the less my dear Doctor, your time is up. As your mood has not changed- the deal is off. As a, shell we say, favor from one Time Lord to another- the girl so long as she remains on the TARDIS- will live." Aloria purred, the Doctor swallowed- with a smirk on her lips Aloria disappeared.

The Doctor had a good idea of what the key was. What made someone ascended other then another ascended. He wasn't _sure_ , but so long as Rose remained in the TARDIS he wouldn't have to test the theory.

He knew she wouldn't like it. She might even resent him for it.

The Doctor knew he could keep her on the TARDIS for the meeting with Dr. Weir, Rose found such things dull. That was where Sheppard would be too- so she'd likely chose (just this once- he prayed) to stay behind, if only for the time being.

"Who was _that_ Doctor?" An unmistakable voice, Rose, whispered. The Doctor turned to face her, the mask of a grinning fool on his lips. Though the hurt in Rose's eyes showed she was not fooled, and hurt that he would think she would be.

The mask dropped, the Doctor hadn't meant to hurt her. Sometimes he forgot she knew him so well.

"Her name is Aloria, she's a...former… Time Lady. She's dead; she's what she calls an ascended. There are Alteran ascended here as well." The Doctor tried to explain, Rose nodded even if she didn't fully understand.

"How can she be dead? And what deal was she talking about?" Rose asked, coming to stand only an arms length away from him.

"She entered a state of mind that made her consciousness into what you saw. Her body is long gone though. She'd what I spoke to in that hologram room they have, the one I was locked inside. She says she'll force you into becoming an ascended if I don't leave what they've done here alone. I can't do that Rose. They can't get you if you stay inside the TARDIS." The Doctor explained, as thoroughly and calmly as he could. Even so Rose saw the ice-cold anger in his eyes.

"You must stay inside the TARDIS Rose; if you become what they are I don't think you have emotions, maybe impressions of them, but that's not real. Not pain, or happiness, or hope- you just are. I don't know if I could save you from that. I'll promise to stay alive the best I can- but you must promise me too, that you'll stay _here_." The Doctor said crossing the distance and holding her shoulders in his big hands. Rose felt pity for them, but nodded.

"I will, I promise." Rose swore, seeing that it quickly took some of the tension out of the Doctor's lithe body, even though it hurt her to do so. He hugged her to himself and didn't want to let go.

"You ought to go back to bed now." The Doctor spoke, he felt her nod against his shoulder.

"Alright." Rose whispered hoarsely, letting him go and turning before he got a good look at her face. But he didn't need to see to know. His Rose was crying and he couldn't do anything.

If he comforted her in this state- he'd let her take back her promise, he wouldn't let himself do that.

She'd be the one to suffer if she went outside the TARDIS. He didn't think she'd handle having no emotions- then having them all thrown back at her. If it had ever been done- and the being remembered it, it'd drive them mad.

The Doctor knew this was especially true for humans, for his Rose.

He didn't want to stay here any longer then he had too, perhaps the Doctor had that time to tell them where the weapons were- offer to give them the information, and if no key events happened- they'd leave.

He didn't want Rose to be kept inside the TARDIS any longer then she had to be. It was cruel for her to know what else was out there, and not see it, caged inside the TARDIS, waiting for him.

He'd be quick- and to the point, out of here before things had a chance to go wrong.

 _Hopefully_ , though the Doctor found that _laughable_ it was so unlikely.

Suddenly the TARDIS doors were knocked upon, and the Doctor went to them. Sheppard and his team, and the two 'Gate guards stood outside. He blinked at them, taken aback that the night had passed so quickly.

"Weir would like to meet with you now Doctor." Sheppard explained sheepishly, mistaking his blinking for sleepiness.

"Right then lets go." The Doctor said with a slight smile, closing the TARDIS's doors behind himself.

"Rose isn't coming?" Telya asked curiously, the Doctor had noticed her trying to peer over his shoulder when he'd went outside- even if she had been more discrete about it then Rodney. He shook his head with a slight, if fake, smile.

"Afraid not, she gets bored at these sorts of meetings." The Doctor answered airily. He felt them watch his back as he went the way he had seen Weir go the other day. Sheppard and the others noticed rather quickly that they were being left behind and hurried to catch up, Sheppard taking the lead.

The Doctor smiled slightly, despite his unease. It was time to face Weir… tell her of her as-of-yet unknown ascended 'guest' Aloria, and of _where_ to find the weapons her city, and the very planet, hid.


	19. The Doctor's 'Little' Surpise

_The Doctor smiled slightly, despite his unease. It was time to face Weir… tell her of her as-of-yet unknown ascended 'guest' Aloria, and of where to find the weapons her city, and the very planet, hid._

Despite, or perhaps because of, his decision, the Doctor felt oddly nerves when Sheppard stood aside; gesturing for him to enter Weir's 'office' (he supposed that was the right word).

There she was, already standing to greet him. She smiled, he smiled hesitantly back. "Make yourself at home Doctor. Tell me, what has brought you here?" Weir asked the Doctor only blinked at her, pausing to think while Weir looked to be preparing for the worst.

 _Well, obviously she 'ordered' me here_ , the Doctor thought, _perhaps she means the TARDIS...Or why I chose to come to Atlantis, best not tell her the truth of that._

"Well, the TARDIS did _that_. I've only come for a visit, and some tea- that is, if you have some?" The Doctor thought to ask, after all not many American's favored tea over soda and cola products.

Either his tastes were well known from whatever it was he had done in the past, or Weir came well prepared, or perhaps a combination of the two. For the words had _hardly_ had time to pass his lips when Weir, with an indulgent smile, slid the tea already made, ( _and_ his favorite) toward him.

"Thank you." The Doctor took a cautious sip, and found it to his liking.

"Well what do you think of our mission here?" Weir asked, almost anxiously, the Doctor merely smiled calmly at her.

"Your doing a marvelous job, I completely approve of mixing the people of Earth to form a colony off world. And besides the Wraith, and your lack of advanced technology- which really can't be helped, Atlantis is doing well for itself." The Doctor admitted, glancing through the window behind her to see the 'Gate and TARDIS.

"That's all very good Doctor, but we hoped to know if anything like last time will be occurring." Weir stated, rather short at him for not getting to the point she wanted to get at.

"Last time…?" The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow. Weir blinked at him, dazed then something seemed to dawn on her, which probably far more sense then _this_ Doctor, being from the future, did not know of _his_ past.

"Oh! I see…for us it was only a few years ago, it could have been hundreds of years for you, Doctor, forgive me." Weir said almost sadly, as if mourning his lost memory. One which the Doctor _desperately_ wished he had. Although it was nice to have _her_ painting a picture she believed, rather then him having to paint one _for_ her.

 _Hundreds of years… try a few days…_ The Doctor thought with a little annoyance, which he was careful not to show.

"It's quite alright, these things do happen." The Doctor admitted, smiling brilliantly. "Now, as for the Wraith, as they are clearly superior of technology and numbers, and won't back down- I've have had dealings with their kind before you see. I've decided to give you a few clues about where to find some advanced technology, which might be of some interest." Weir leaned foreword eagerly, a pen and pad at hand.

"Now, you'll find active ships, armored mind you, which can go deeply into the sea, at the bottom of the city." The Doctor said, sensing it was so. As he stood and made his way out, even as Weir got up and followed him to the door.

"At the bottom of the deepest crevice near Atlantis, you'll find war-ships, fully equipped, and likely weighted with a little something else. The war ships we'll tell you were the _other_ ships are, as Puddle Jumpers are for _short_ scout missions, and were designed to, when captured- self-destruct, and it would have been dangerous if locations of the Atlantis-based technology fell into the wrong hands." _So please don't do something stupid with the Puddle Jumpers_ , the Doctor thought and said all this with a pleasant smile on his face. Weir nodded rapidly, probably writing twice as fast, her nodding sent her brown curls bouncing.

"Secondly, how do you feel about the Ancients?" The Doctor asked, in an abrupt change of topic, that caught Weir off-guard. _That is after all, the point._ The Doctor thought while a waiting her answer.

"The Ancients?" Weir asked, blinking at him a dazed manner.

"Yes, the former Alteran's that have been, how did your people say, ascended." The Doctor encouraged, a charming smile, which could have meant anything, upon his lips. He silently apologized to her for rushing like this, but he wanted, no _needed_ , to get back to the TARDIS, and Rose, to ensure their safety.

"Well they aren't very helpful." Weir said softly, wary now.

 _You can say that again._ The Doctor thought. "They are just, well, are _here_." The Doctor nodded in a sympathetic manner.

"Don't trust them, in fact, if you can, use the technology you find to destroy them - or at least keep them at a distance, especially the one called _Aloria_ , she's tall, green-eyed, and blond, can't miss her, as most Alteran's had _dark_ hair. She's also an ascended _Gallifreyian_ , not a true Ancient. And _whatever_ you do end up doing, _don't trust them_. " The Doctor warned as he turned, the sliding doors opened, and the Doctor rushed for the TARDIS, and Rose. He left no few amount of people baffled in his wake. When he rushed open the door of the TARDIS, he found, when he checked that Rose was safe and sound.

Though with an ascended Gallifreyian on the loose, he didn't want to stick around much longer then he _absolutely_ had to. Normally he wasn't like this; normally he'd stay till it (whatever it turned out to be) was though. _Normally_ didn't apply when Rose was still in danger, and he had no way to guarantee her safety.

To guarantee she'd stay mortal, and human, and _good_. To say to her that he'd not have to kill her, to save her from being…ascended. While the Doctor didn't want to watch her age, he didn't want to make her immortal _and_ take her emotions away, which was what he feared the ascended were.

Or at least Aloria was.

Even if Rose _didn't_ loose her emotions when she became an ascended, he might. He couldn't let Rose see him like _that_ , it would break her heart. So he turned to do what felt like the only option left to him, only to have the TARDIS take the matter into her own hands.

For the TARDIS was activating _without_ his guidance. Perhaps she had sensed his intent and was taking them away from danger?

"Doctor!" The shocked voice of O'Neill cried from outside the TARDIS.

 _Or not_ , the Doctor thought half-amused, half-annoyed.


	20. The Doctor is BACK in the SGC

_"Doctor!" The shocked voice of O'Neill cried from outside the TARDIS._

Or not _, the Doctor thought half-amused, half-annoyed._

"Is that O'Neill?" Rose yelled demandingly, upset and knowing O'Neill wasn't on Atlantis. The Doctor stared at the TARDIS door a moment more, and then decided to answer Rose- he knew O'Neill wouldn't be able to hear them.

"Yes, the TARDIS started by herself." The Doctor expected Rose come out, but she didn't. Puzzled he went to her bedroom door, and called for her;

"You can come out now- it's safe, I think… _Rose_?" The Doctor knocked on the door.

"Rose?" With no response, he worriedly opened it…only to have a shoe thrown at him- it was a near miss.

"Get out, I'm _dressing_!" In a flash the Doctor had slammed closed the door, muttered an apology- to Rose, the door, and the TARDIS (just for good measure) - and rushed himself into the control room.

" _Hello_! Doctor- Rose? Are you in there?" Right on time to remind him, that he had other worries then the state of Rose's red high-hills. O'Neill (or someone in the SGC) banged on the door of the TARDIS, annoying the Doctor- and the TARDIS itself (after all, the TARDIS had allowed _two_ Strangers-who-weren't-Companions onto itself).

The TARDIS needed no prompting to open for the Doctor- for which he was grateful. As the Doctor peeked his head out from behind the door, and took in the strange site before him- and blinked, just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

He wondered first, why O'Neill had cut his hair. Then he wondered who the 'new kid' ogling _his_ TARDIS was- and where Daniel and Teal'c were, but that was only _after_ seeing a baffled Rodney, and deciding this Rodney most assuredly didn't know who he was.

"That," Rodney said, gesturing to the TARDIS and the Doctor, "should _not_ have happened." The Doctor's lip twitched. "Indeed." He said dryly. Then he noticed the _heat_ \- and that the metal enclosing the Stargate was red-hot.

"Let me guess, it isn't supposed to look like that." The Doctor muttered. O'Neill rolled his eyes and said; "But of _course_ not…" Rodney cleared his throat, and the Doctor and O'Neill glanced at him. "Who is _he_?" He demanded- he was ignored.

"What's happening?" The Doctor asked, stepping off the TARDIS, which had parked itself in the command room of the SGC.

"Well you know those pesky Goa'uld System Lords- always trying to destroy us and Earth. Genius, whose name is Rodney, over there sent an EMP pulse through- were guessing it's failed as the what-ever-it-is is still making it hotter the hell in there." O'Neill jibed, going to the Doctor and patting him on the shoulder in welcome. Behind him Hammond nodded a greeting, while an upset looking Rodney pouted.

"We'd love some help here Doctor; Carter is still trying to figure something out- Teal'c is off-world." Hammond told him, briefing him quickly- as time was of the essence.

The Doctor nodded, and frowned, "What about Daniel?"

O'Neill flinched. "He's…dead, radioactive poisoning; he was trying to save his- Jonas's -people." O'Neill said softly, his tone plainly telling the Doctor the he thought it should have been him- and that his friend's death had hit him harder then he let show.

"How is Rose?" O'Neill continued, desperate to find something else to talk about. The Doctor understood how he felt all to well, none the less he reached out and firmly gripped O'Neill's shoulder, O'Neill looked up at him gratefully.

"She's…uh dre- uh, fine…" The Doctor trailed off, the both of them thinking on the could have been, and should have been…his eyes falling on Jonas, who was plainly distressed and unsure of his place. The Doctor smiled ruefully at him- he looked surprised, and then he glanced back at the Stargate.

Hammond cleared his throat. "Anything you could do, would be… appreciated, Doctor." The Doctor caught his eyes, "Did Carter approve this?" Hammond shook his head, and Rodney steeped foreword. "No, she was against it from the start." Hammond said hurriedly, and Rodney briefly glared at him.

"I can tell you what you shouldn't have done- you shouldn't have shortened the time by half, no matter the price." The Doctor said scathingly, Hammond looked regretful, but Rodney stared to the side reproachfully.

"It's not like _you_ can reverse it…" Rodney muttered sarcastically- the Doctor snorted.

"I could, but that would mean abandoning you here- to your fate, good or ill. Going back- and changing time itself. Making an alternate timeline- and possible alternate universe, which, I am _not_ inclined to do." The Doctor said flippantly, staring at the Stargate, ideas running through his skull.

"We'll use that as a last resort." Hammond stated the Doctor's eyebrow rose and fell- but he showed no other response to Rodney's sputtering.

"What is _he_?" The Doctor heard Jonas whisper to Hammond. "A Time Lord, the blue police box- is, if you can believe it- a time machine, the TARDIS." He heard Jack tell him- then he heard Rose's footsteps, and grinned.

"Doctor! Where'd you get to? Don't tell me you landed us on a sun- it's too damn hot!" Rose's voice yelled from inside the TARDIS, most everyone jumped when she appeared. Spotting O'Neill, she grinned and went to get a hug from the grinning man.

"How are you lot? You can't imagine what it's like in R'Gallifrey and at Atlan- ohm, the future-place." Rose stuttered, and then at the Doctor's sharp glance, she grinned – as did O'Neill, the two exchanged equally mischievous grins.

The Doctor had a forbidding feeling, but ignored it in favor of staring at the Stargate. "Doctor, you don't need us for anything- right?" O'Neill stated, the Doctor shook his head, and the two grinned again. "Carter doesn't know we are here… _right_?" Rose stressed, Hammond shook his head not knowing whither to be amused or worried- then settling on amused when O'Neill _snickered_.

Rose spared a glace at Rodney. "You're better off in the future." She told him matter-of-factly, and in the face of his startled face- a laughing O'Neill came up beside her, Rose tucked under one arm, together the two strolled off to torment … er visit, their favorite female scientist.

The end of the world- damned in the face of mischief makers.

"How can- _he_ , she- _they_ , just do that?" Rodney muttered, "Do what?" Jonas asked, blinking at him. "Go off and laugh in the face of certain danger?" Rodney insisted, irritated, Jonas shrugged.

"Because they _can_ \- besides they have nothing else to do, and they would just be in the way." The Doctor said in an almost absent-minded way.

Hammond shrugged when the two looked at him curiously, and giving his people instructions that consisted of a) keep working on something, b) keep the Doctor happy- and c) make sure to inform me if anything major happens, Hammond too left- following the path Jack and Rose had left.

After all _someone_ of authority needed to make sure those two didn't upset Carter too much. Rodney looked doubtfully between Jonas and the Doctor, Rodney left – he wanted to see what Carter was up to.

"You'd think we'd have the Black Plague." The Doctor commented to thin air, various humans at the computers looked properly abashed.

"The what?" Jonas asked, the Doctor sighed.

"An Earthling sickness around in the 1400-1600- I helped treat it…" The Doctor stated dryly, Jonas hummed.

"I always wondered how they got the Stargate in here…" The Doctor said aloud, Jonas's eyes widened, and he too left in a hurry- the Doctor chuckled, and turned to the TARDIS

"Tell Hammond I approve of whatever Carter and Jonas come up with." The Doctor said flippantly, noting that at least one of the men nodded before the Doctor left them in favor of the TARDIS.


	21. The Doctor Meets Demons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is, well, ancient – but I love it, now three days before this was published, 05-23-06 I published "Dimensional Rip", as story that dealt with Star Trek: The Next Generation and Yu Yu Hakusho, a anime which features the characters you are about to meet in this chapter. 
> 
> If you want to know their story, before meeting the Doctor, well I wrote that too, in "Dimensional Rip", I like to think I've written it in such a way that it flows smoothly, but ultimately that is for you to decide.
> 
> Keep in mind, from the start I didn't know this –these – stories were going to go this way, that they were going to join ultimately into one big story for my mind to play and puzzle at - for a long time I fought it too, I didn't want to write it – I don't know if anyone is reading this, or was waiting all along - but if you are now, well – I hope a lot of things, mostly I hope you'll enjoy this accident as much as I have.

Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor stood for a while, there was anticipation in the air – the sense of being watched and expected to act. The Doctor looked about, but it was only the TARDIS and the Doctor was left with the impression that he had disappointed her to the heart.

Concern stretching across his eyes, he stood at the center console, his hand on the TARDIS as he frowned down at where the heart of the TARDIS lay. Too late he realized it was a trap, the outer and inner doors shutting smooth and quick, and the TARDIS lurched under her own command and power, sealing him inside, the heart thrummed and beat beneath its cage – the body that the TARDIS made up.

"Doctor? Doctor –stop, come back!" Cried an alarmed voice from beyond the doors, there was a pounding, but it was faint compared to the pounding of power that was the heart blood of the TARDIS coming to life without his head or hands guiding it. No, it was his hearts own beat that echoed in the TARDIS, rang in his ears - that sang his unspoken will.

"No, no, no! You're making a mistake!" The Doctor spun about the trunk of the TARDIS hands grapping and reaching frantically for a way to reverse this, pleas trembling past his lips – a TARDIS had a heart, and a mind of it's own; and the bond between TARDIS and Time Lord went deep as the soul itself, and a TARDIS knew what was right and wrong through their Time Lord; and the Doctor, he knew that running away from Atlantis and Aloria for the sake of Rose (which was why, after all, the TARDIS was leaving her behind this time), and the risk of losing her, of her becoming a heartless Ascended was _wrong_ – no matter that the Doctor had felt it was only right to save Rose.

The TARDIS was acting to undo his mistake, his wrong.

The Doctor could do nothing but wait for the TARDIS to stop, with a lurch and abrupt halt of power, the Doctor knew he'd landed – but when and where were now the mystery. The Doctor looked uneasily at the doors, and looked then to the TARDIS – now that they were here, he knew they would not leave until he had done what he could. He closed his eyes and took a uneasy breath, going to the doors – he tugged on them fruitlessly, as they were stubbornly shut from within – he rolled his eyes upward knowing the sort of point the TARDIS was trying to make.

"Please?" The Doctor asked – then pushed hard on the doors, with ease the doors slid free, and the Doctor found he was tumbling out, and knew he would fall to the ground most ungracefully.

Then arms caught around him, hoisting him up.

Inhuman yellow eyes and the fall of snow silver hair met the Doctor's startled gaze. _No_ , the Doctor thought, _it can't be_! What he said, was the demanding start of " _What_."

Those eyes flicked away from him, amusement dancing in their deadly depths. The Doctor forced his gaze elsewhere, knowing what he'd said was a bad start and staring outright was never polite. This darkened room was brightened only by the TARDIS, around him could be anywhere, but the feel of the place – of once great power brought crashing down, of waves and sea salt, all surfaced to bring to mind Atlantis.

The Doctor looked quickly about, seeking to find proof of his thought beyond what the TARDIS willed.

A man stood in the shadows, small in stature, but with a _sword_ at his side that the Doctor would be a blind man indeed not to recognize, his baffled " _What!_ " rung in his ears. He was dark by the clothes he favored and the hair upon his head, but his eyes were chilling red.

The Doctor felt trapped, enclosed with these strangers who were watching him as if they had expected him. Or, at least, were not very surprised to see him, which hurt a little, for the Doctor was hardly ever expected when he arrived, hoped for, called for, perhaps – but never summoned like the TARDIS had arrived, as if obeying a command beyond the Doctor's heart.

These were personal rooms, the Doctor realized, as his eyes caught on a bed big enough for three, and at the center of it wrapped in sweaty sheets that bespoke of sudden deathly illness, was a boy with wild black hair that fell over his shoulders and the shadows gave way to kiss his skin in a barbaric dance of marks across his tanned skin.

His brown eyes grew golden, and in them was the silver glint of steel.

Artificial, this boy – he was part machine, or becoming part machine – and that, the Doctor knew, was very, very _wrong_. His hushed, outraged " _What?_ " was what broke their silence, for perhaps they sensed that he, this odd tall stranger was dangerous in his own way.

"What are you?" Was the whisper from the shadows, as the man with his sword was coming forward with the ease of a predator born – his eyes on the Doctor alone, the threat of death in his eyes, the Doctor could not help the slipping beat of his heart at this primitive sight; there was nothing _human_ in those bloody eyes. He realized quickly his mistake, he'd thought he'd been summoned here –expected by their lack of reaction, but those eyes told him otherwise, they told of disturbance at the sight of the Time Lord.

They demanded an answer, if the Doctor were to survive this encounter.

An answer the Doctor would provide, with pride.

"Me? I'm _the Doctor_ – I'm _supposed_ to be here –what are _you_?" The Doctor looked around at them all, they were different – unique to themselves, but there was sameness about them, a similarity in the blood, in their race. They were companions; they held each other with as much ease as they disliked the Doctor on sight. They were awesome and terrible in their power, and _that power_!

It was ancient, calling to barbaric times, waking his memories of primitive ancestors and all the peoples the Time Lords had known and called friend and enemy alike. They held it inside themselves, just under their skin, as it smoldered and burnt from within like a growing star. Yet they held it within with ease – such power that could only be matched by, perhaps, the heart of the TARDIS. No wonder she had heard them, no wonder she had came.

The Doctor shook his head, feeling awe creep in despite his age – or perhaps because of it.

"Demons." The silver haired fox-eared man, as tall as the Doctor, answered. It was curt and brief, as quick as the touch that had righted his physical balance and rocked aside his notion of what had survived the Time Wars, as simply said as the silver haired one had moved aside from him and taken the side of his companions.

The grin that met his eyes was a warning full of sharp teeth.

"Well, sure, if that's what you want to call yourselves, but you really aren't – where are we then?" The Doctor held aloft his hands, offering peace. He was aware that there were three of them, and they still took him for a threat; it was an incredible rush, that, so often in the Doctor's wanderings, he was but a stranger, tall this time, with big ears, and an easy grin – the look of a wounded warrior clung to him.

They saw that warrior in him, that power, and respected it; there was a wary silence, then the boy on the bed – the one who was a 'demon' and not, was human too – and was dying because _something else_ was burrowing into his blood and bone, some sort of machine, answered him, his voice weak and painful sounding.

"Atlantis." It was an answer the Doctor had expected, but Atlantis was alive – and these rooms _were_ _not_.

"Why are all the lights out..?" The Doctor asked now with suspicion, he eyed them now – for the first time wary himself, he'd met these three at the very doors of the TARIDS and the Doctor did not believe in coincidence.

If the TARDIS had taken him here of her own will, perhaps it was a programmed response to the death cry of Atlantis, for while the humans of Earth were _supposed_ to be here now alive, or not – had in fact beaten the Doctor here, these 'demons' were not.

"I stole the ZPM – to save him." Yellow eyes regarded him, and included his head toward the bed ridden boy as he spoke; there was no shame in his eyes, though his words were ones only a thief would admit.

"We'll that's easily fixed, I have something of that like here – wait a bit, would you?" The Doctor did not mind showing his relief in his voice, they were being honest with him – and that was surely a good first step to take in earning their trust. And in truth, the Doctor could help, surely a ZPM as they called it seemed something powerful to these people, but at the end of the Time War, when the fall of the alliance between the four races took place, the Time Lords, the Alterans with their beloved Tau'ri, the Nox, the Asgard, and the Gadmear – all had known greater power.

The Doctor had, all the same, hung onto a ZPM or two, out of sheer _nostalgia_.

Now it was only a matter of _finding_ it, which he did, after a frantic search while he fretted that the demons would be gone by the time he emerged, but he urged himself to have patience, to trust – and it paid off, or there was no where for them to go. Or, perhaps, hopefully, they were as curious of him as he of them.

"Here we are," the Doctor exclaimed in triumph, having produced the unused ZPM he'd put in the closet behind a hat and rainbow colored scarf, "now go put this back where you found the other one, would you?"

The Doctor knew better then to cross his fingers as he offered his prize up for the fox eared thief to take, but the yellow eyes met his and a solemn nod was as good as an oath. He was gone when the Doctor looked back after turning toward the boy on the bed. He couldn't help himself in going to him, taking his Sonic Screwdriver and scanning the boy with it – he recognized the technology as Alterans as the boy's blood. Altered to the point of mutation to another species, but there were patterns in all DNA – nature all but demanded it, if one knew where to look for them, and the Doctor knew all the tricks. Still, the boy – and his friends – all were impressive as works of art.

He caught the boy's eyes, inquiring and curious, but his mouth was still and silent, as if questioning him would to be to admit some sort of weakness.

"It's my Sonic Screwdriver." The Doctor told him, absently, as if it didn't matter. Even if it did, he found the bits of machine floating in the boy's blood were still there, if deactivated; if they remained so, the boy's body would take care of getting rid of them for itself. If not, they would turn the boy into something else, as foreign and preserve as the boy was a wonder now; a biological _person_ who could evolve and thrive on any survivable world – that was what was in this boy's blood.

If the Asgard sought a cure for what they'd done to themselves, it was in this boy – ironic as it was that genetic mutation had caused the problem, and genetic mutation would solve it. The Doctor knew he'd have to keep an eye on this boy and his friends, because wonderful as the discovery was – the potential of it, if the machines activated, it would quickly turn him into a horrifying puppet.

"You shouldn't have that in you." The Doctor told the boy, knowing he wouldn't understand, but having to voice some sort of apology all the same.

"Wherever have you come from? It's far too soon for this sort of thing to be rearing up in these parts." The Doctor knew just what sort of _when_ in time had this kind of machine that could invade a body and mind, and turn someone against their own nature, becoming a machine. It was in the Cybermen, it was in the Replicators of present day – and if life evolved, so too did machines. It couldn't be helped; people, after all, built machines and _needed_ them.

The Doctor glanced up as the fox eared thief returned, and it occurred to him to ask a question that had been gnawing at the edge of his mind.

"Where did it go?" The Doctor asked, frowning, and remembering. This boy had needed saving, for the machines in him would have – _should have_ – killed him to turned him into what they were programmed to be, either living or dying should have been the result on activation - a missing ZPM did not explain the deactivation.

There was hesitation in the sickly yellow eyes that looked to the boy, as if asking permission – or forgiveness.

"Where did what go?" Frustration welled up in the Doctor at that not-answer, this was not a game. This was life or death – theirs, his, the boy's – and it was a mystery. The Doctor had never liked mysteries – but it was more then that, being a Time Lord some of the logic that was in his mind and blood did not accept mysteries.

"The ZPM, the first one." _The one you stole, the one that isn't here, who did you give it to?_ _Who saved your friends life?_ The Doctor's mind raced and skipped over questions he had not heard the answer to.

"Q has it." Was the answer from the small shadow that had been watching all this while, quick and quite as he undoubtedly was came the rejection that swelled up, the rebellion at the very thought that warred with hope.

Maybe, after all, he wasn't the last Time Lord born of Gallifrey.

"There is no such thing." The Doctor's hearts beat quickly, with hope – and fear - and his mind sought out for a bond that stretched between all Time Lords, however faint the link between time and living Time Lord. He hadn't dared pay much mind to it, for it was a strangled and dead thing, and peering into his own mind like this would breathe new longing and pain into the life of the link.

The three looked between each other, honestly confused – the truth was there plain on their faces to see. He hardly needed the link, which was as dead as it could be, strangled and cut by his own subconscious in effort to preserve his own life. It was no wonder he was tense, having touched that long dormant link.

"Yes, there is – we've met him." The boy on the bed argued, new life coming into his eyes. The Doctor was glad to see it; it meant the boy would live a long and healthy life, a life span that could match or surpass his own.

"There isn't, I should know – I helped invent him, _someone_ is playing a very dangerous game." And the Doctor had a suspicion of who that someone was, he looked about these rooms at the heart of Atlantis – and there was, after all, something he hadn't noticed before, or rather – someone.

"Oh, very good Doctor, bravo!" She came out of shadows even Atlantis's new ZPM could not light, as tall as he was, green-eyed, and blond, but faded – not entirely of this here and now, but elsewhere – spying.

" _Aloria_." It was a hiss, and for the first time the Doctor let himself sound as deadly as he was, a lonely god, an oncoming storm – the last _living_ Time Lord.

And she? She was of Gallifrey; but something else now, twisting into something new in being Ascended – when only the Alterans and Tau'ri should be. She swayed as she walked, as if shaking off another form, and indeed the Doctor saw another body – that of who they must call Q, who had been his dearest friend only to turn on him as his rival and enemy.

The Doctor saw that body, but felt the faint flutter of the bond that linked between them, and he knew the mind he felt.

As if 'Aloria' or 'Q' felt it too, a kiss was mockingly blown to him.

The Doctor felt only sorrow and twisting pain that climbed into his hearts like an entwined creeping plant.

"Really now, Doctor – you ought to know who I am." The smirk was impossibly the same, smug and sure –waiting to hear his words.

"How did you die, Master?" Those lips twisted into a grin full of wicked delight.


	22. The Doctor and the Master's Plan

_"Really now, Doctor – you ought to know who I am." The smirk was impossibly the same, smug and sure –waiting to hear his words._

_"How did you die, Master?" Those lips twisted into a grin full of wicked delight._

* * *

"Oh, I haven't yet, but - be sure Doctor – you'll be there when I die." It was a promise of pain to come, the Doctor knew. As twisted as the Master was, he would not make a mistake in that sort of history, so the Doctor knew it for truth, he had then the answer – but what had happened, that the Master had died, was a question he had not the resource to guess. And, maybe, though the weakness wasn't one the Doctor would say was in him, he didn't want to know how the Master died, and by whose hand he had fallen. For the only way the Master would stop, could stop, would be by murder.

There were terrible things within himself, the Doctor knew, but that he might be the one to kill the Master, it _hurt_ him. Perhaps worse then unleashing the cause of the loss of beloved Gallifrey, for the Master he was face to face with now.

"You're Ascended, then?" The Doctor asked, a safer question, as he looked about these lonely rooms within the beating heart of Atlantis. They were significant, these rooms, history was being made in them – or unmade – for one could never quite tell with Time Lords.

"I thought it obvious." The Master had lost none of his sarcasm in Ascension, obviously. Oddly, that reassured the Doctor, death could not be too bad if the Master found pleasure in his old habits.

Obviously the Master remembered Q, their invention. Still, it was also telling that the Master had lost none of his memories or intelligence, either – the Doctor couldn't allow himself to be distracted then, he had to take what answers the Master would give him and race ahead without looking back. The Master meant to test him, that much was obvious.

For what reason remained a mystery.

"Why are you doing this? Why take the ZPM?" To start with, that was what the Doctor was most curious about, how the Master would answer him would tell him why these three were young men were gathered here, where they did not belong.

The Master waved at the boys, a light in his eyes the Doctor understood – appreciation.

"Look at them, incredible, aren't they? Any _Gallifreyian_ can see their potential- but the Alteran? The beloved Ancient's of Earth? They hid away their own mutated offspring, locking them in an alternate dimension in reality, the place called Mai-Kai? That's just cruel, Doctor – don't you agree?" The Master's smile suggested poison, and the Doctor wondered what the Master was remembering that the Doctor hadn't yet lived to see.

"What's the point?" Like some insolent lordling, the boy reclined on the bed uncaring, yet watching them – watching events – as if none of it would touch him, and the Doctor had to appreciate his acting – or his luck that he'd survived so long, if this was a glimpse to his stupidity.

"The _point is_ , once I use that ZPM to cause a dimensional rip in between the realms of the 'demon' Mai-Kai and the human Ningenkai, well then, Earth will really be _interesting_ again, won't it?" The Master purred these words, as if they were intimate, meant for one pair of ears only – yet all of them heard, all of them felt that shadow of forbidden confidence.

Something lurched like a predator in the boy's golden brown eyes; a warning was there for the Master to see if he only heeded it.

The Doctor felt his fear boil into fury as he took in all that the Master had said and what it would mean for the living and breathing people on Earth, humans were a breed that could bend for survivals sake, thrive for dreams – but they were not unbreakable. Releasing ancient demons upon humanity – both the offspring of Alteran blood – without warning, with the dawn of the space age only peeking on the horizon, and releasing humans running from their nightmares on Earth into the universe – it would be a bloodbath, humans would be slaughtered leaving only demons to prowl into the steep depths of the black.

Better for humans and demons to be Earth-bound, yet if so, humans would never see space and events that the Doctor had spent lifetimes helping along would be for nothing.

"You can't do this." Distress made the Doctor's voice sound weak and whispery, but he had never been so serious, and what was unspoken was his vow – _I won't let you do this, Master_. The Master watched him hungry and greedy and savoring every expression he let slip onto his face, into his eyes.

From the dark shadows came the slender boy with his sword – a sword the Doctor recognized, and it gave him hope, and better yet – a plan, for all that the Doctor didn't grasp yet the whole of it, he felt pin-points of events burning in his great brain, they had to happen for the future to unfurl like a flower from Earth, the light of unending stars beckoned to humanity like beacons leading the way forward.

The boy stood between the Master and his friends, much as the Doctor had stood many times before and would stand after for so long as he was able.

The Master's sneer was the same, but he kept his distance all the same.

"I _already have_ , and you – you gave me the key." The Master's eyes seemed to grow fond, eyeing that boy with silver hair and sinister yellow eyes.

The boy made no response, only standing his ground, he had made his choice and he was resolute, he would regret nothing done for the sake of his friends, in the face of the Master and its consequences.

The Master was gone with a laugh.

"Forgive me." Only then did those tall shoulders hunch and that noble head bowed, though the fall of silver hair, amber eyes pleaded with the boy on the bed.

"It's my own stupid fault for being too human, right?" The words were bitter, but final. The Doctor's idea – and these boys – gave him hope, and it was time to share that hope, kindle it, and only then would hope grow to be reality.

"Human's are brilliant, I have you know - but there is something that still can be done to – while not undo this, delay it a bit. Think of it as giving time a chance to settle, heal the rip – I've only one question." The Doctor felt a manic grin stretch his lips, he thrived on this – the belief in him, in hope. In action and reaction, for the Doctor had acted, and his energy and optimism had caught their attention, ensnared it.

The Doctor held his hand outstretched to them, as he asked what needed no spoken answer.

"Come with me?"

They did. They would, and the Doctor knew they would not be the last ones to enter the TARDIS and stand beside him. The TARDIS's roared approval rung around them, a triumphant sound, a call to battle, and one that could not afford to be lost.

"Yuusuke Urameshi, Raizen's heir." This boy, the Doctor felt, was much more then that, but the Doctor did nothing to turn aside that lopsided easy grin. Introductions were belated, but they would be made.

"Hiei. Koorime, I have a Jagan." Those words meant little to the Doctor, save that he gathered the boy's name was Hiei, though he had rolled his eyes at having to introduce himself at the start, the last words had been a warning – or a threat. The Doctor wasn't sure which, and with this sort of folk, it might well be both.

"Kurama." Was all the name that the silver haired and yellow eyed boy allowed or needed, with a nod. It was obvious enough, even to the Doctor's inexperienced demon-spotting eyes that this boy was a mimic for the kitsune, if not the origin of the fable. That the youth could be that old sent a giddy shiver down the Doctor's spine.

"Welcome aboard the TARDIS, boys – let's make history, shall we?" The Doctor's first stop would be the SCG, of course. The Doctor sort of dreaded his Rose's reactions, but some sacrifice had to be done. The Doctor at least could not understand the TARDIS's haste.

"When and where are we now?" Yuusuke asked in a soft voice that promised he'd deal with whatever the universe threw at him with ease. The Doctor envied that ignorance of youth, though there were Time Lords who'd once claim the same of himself.

"Earth, around the time you were taken, I think." The Doctor told and warned in one word, for travel was a never a sure thing until one stepped outside to see the world.

"Doctor!" Relief, outrage and familiarity surged to ring in that one title that had become his name, his identity, and the Doctor could think of no one he'd rather have speak it then Rose, who was there to greet him at the threshold of the TARDIS.

"Rose! Whatever are you doing here, exactly as I left you, and not off messing about with dangerous things and needing me to rescue you?" The Doctor teased, even as Rose hugged him tight and he let himself close his eyes and enjoy it.

"Where else would I be, but waiting for you?" Rose asked dryly, though her eyes were damp.

"Doctor," Hammond greeted with more professional calm, "we've got an interesting message back along with Teal'c."

"Oh?" The Doctor inquired, feeling he knew very well what that was, thank you very much.

"The Goa'uld are on their way." His delivery was cool and sure, for there could be no mistake. However panicked this made the rest of humanity in the know, Hammond was well in control of the SGC as always, personal worries aside.

It was then that the Doctor moved aside and allowed Yussuke, Hiei, and Kurama to step forward, after all, they all had their part to play.

"You've brought friends?" Rose asked of the Doctor, rather accusingly if he dared think so.

"Not friends so much as…reinforcements, of a sort." The Doctor would let them make their own introductions, if they so chose. There were some things, however, that not even the Doctor couldn't prevent from being asked, he only hoped the fallout was favorable.

"What, exactly, are they?" Jack O'Neill had spotted Kurama's glaring white ears and was not one to be tongue tied by formality or subtly. He was a man of action, and bold words. It was one of the reasons why the Doctor liked him.

"Oh, demons, I would say, but that's not exactly accurate. Let's just say that after the Alterans came to Earth they did come experiments on their offspring with humanity, probably good intentions for the best of both, but the result wasn't what they were aiming for, and – well, now we have these folks." The Doctor waved to the trio, while bemused humans watched and listened.

"Youkai, we prefer." Yuusuke added, a slight smile settling over his lips. There wasn't any nervousness in him, it was obviously another matter for Hiei and Kurama who tried both to keep their distance from the watching crowd and keep themselves between the humans and Yuusuke.

"Great, just how many of you are there?" Jack eyed them, and the Doctor could understand it – three demons just didn't amount to too much reinforcement.

Yuusuke caught the Doctor's eyes and held them, because this was where the Doctor's plans hit a halt, he didn't know why the Master had chosen these three as pawns, but there had to be a very good reason or the Doctor was going to be empty handed, for a moment he feared the Master had played him for a fool.

Yuusuke seemed to sense that weakness, and maybe that was what they called a demon's instinct - useful, yes, but also unnerving.

"If you've caught folk like Koto, Juri and Ruka being interviewed on TV lately, which I doubt, because it's happening in Japan and is slowly being accepted for truth overseas, you would know that in the Mai-Kai are as many demons as humans, we are longer lived, stronger, faster, but we have our faults, we're far from peaceful, and our children are a rare and precious few. We would fight for them, beside you – if motivated." Yuusuke reassured, his words came easily, and he was sure of what he said – almost too sure. The Doctor wasn't the only one to hear it, but he wasn't the one to question such solid belief.

"How can you be so sure?" Samantha Carter questioned, a frown of suspicion lingering like a shadow over her face.

"Yuusuke does look the most human of us, doesn't he?" Kurama murmured with a sly fox smile.

"He is the Demon King for Ningenkai, that is, human realm. Mai-Kai, demon realm, belongs to Yomi as regent for Shura, until he is of age to claim it. Mukuro acts as the voice and protector of those whose who were independent of the Demon Kings; but do not mistake our meaning, vast loyal armies of A Class subjects and S Class generals would move forth from Maikai at the word of Yomi who would answer Yuusuke's summons without doubt." Kurama stretched the length of his body, fluid and uncaring of who saw him venerable, his tail flicked behind him like a taunting flag.

" _You're_ the Demon King of Earth?" The Doctor asked doubtfully of Yuusuke, surprised despite his own suspicions – when the Master had picked his pawns, he might have found he'd bitten off more then he could chew.

"Oh yes." Yuusuke only shrugged such knowledge away, as if it didn't matter much to him.

Clearly it mattered _very_ much, for the rest of the people in the room were eerily silent, thinking on the fact that they now had a _kid_ for the Demon King of the entire human world that they hadn't even known about until now.

Yuusuke's grin was unapologetic at the resulting eruption of chaos in shouts, demanding explanations and then a very good question.


	23. The Doctor's Deal with the Demon King

"Wait, wait! How have demons gone on for so long without recent proof?" Samantha Carter, ever the scientist, demanded to know. The Doctor delighted in that earnest demand for truth and knowledge, so answered where he knew only he could.

"You undoubtedly know about alternate dimensions, well, they aren't really alternate dimensions at all, they are _alternative realties_ \- an alternate dimension is sort of like the shadow of a present reality. A different realm of reality, a dimension existing side by side with your own version of reality, and it can touch yours as you can touch it. Sort of, a mirror earth only with different, ah, citizens. It's where the Ancients are, as well." That last bit was a guess, but when Yuusuke nodded, the Doctor took it for a good guess.

"Wait, so let me get this straight, you intend to unleash a _demon army_ on the modern world?" Jack O'Neill didn't sound as if he believed what he was saying while he said it, and it was true enough that it didn't sound very … _realistic_.

"No, not at all, if humanity wouldn't survive first contact with a demon army, what makes you think your Goa'uld – with armies of _human_ Jaffa - would?" The Doctor finished with a flourish.

"Oh." Jack O'Neill was nodding in understanding now.

"Why would you – or they - help?" Jonas asked, baffled.

"If I understood what the Master intends to do with the ZPM, he'll unleash the Mai-Kai by destroying it, making this realm and the demon realm one, ah, reality. And if anything, demons are territorial – Yomi will fight to keep Mai-Kai and Ningenkai apart and keep his kingdom." Kurama stated, glancing only afterwards to the Doctor, who nodded in affirmation.

"And you're sure he'll do this for you, bring them here and then take them back into Mai-Kai –all because you _asked_ him to?" It was clear that Jonas doubted this plan, and the Doctor wondered why he hadn't noticed that rift between Jonas and the smooth flow of SGC as he knew it with Daniel Jackson. He at once _missed_ Daniel; the potential in him had been staggering, all for not now.

If Yuusuke was taken aback by this blunt doubt of his power, he didn't let it show in his own grin and glance to Kurama who nodded for him to go on, that where his friends stood was at his side.

"Sure, I don't see why not – I just need to make a phone call." Yuusuke mimicked dialing with his fingers, and Jack O'Neill grinned and led him away from underneath the eyes of Hammond and his fellow soldiers, smooth as silk, the Doctor found himself grateful – it was clear enough that Yuusuke, Demon King or not, was still a teenager and squirmed discomfort at adult attention drawing to him in the spotlight.

"Why haven't we heard about you before now, from these interviews?" The Doctor heard Jack ask, and Yuusuke's softer, subdued and embarrassed answer:

"I asked them not to, I grew up in this realm, and a country is hard enough for a government to handle – but the whole world on my shoulders? No thanks."

Hiei looked after Yuusuke longingly, and the Doctor could see that this youth too was more comfortable in shadows then the attention of spotlight. He might also be a tad protective, with how his hand hovered over his sword. _That sword_ , the Doctor apologized to the boy without a word, for that sword had to stand in the storm of attention, and its wielder drawn in with it.

"There is something else to be done about the Master, now." The Doctor said, getting the attention of both Hiei and Kurama at once – he trusted what they had glimpsed of his history, of Time Lords – would be kept silent, for now it was enough that the SGC was aware of an Ascended calling itself Master.

Rose, watching him, knew better then that, but she'd wait to ambush him about filling her in at least until there was a lull in excitement.

"That sword, Hiei, wherever did you get it?" The Doctor asked, Hiei met his eyes and possessively tightened his hand over the hilt.

"Found it." Hiei spit out, soft and furious for what the Doctor was doing, bringing him to the helm of this.

"Stole it, more likely – it's an Ancient device, no doubt something they left behind after locking the Kekkai Barrier, though if they wanted to destroy it or have your people destroyed by it are the true questions of their intent." The Doctor rambled keeping himself between Hiei and Rose, and his own person safe but subtly – or not so, judging by the amused glint in Kurama's amber eyes – behind Hiei's own demon comrade.

" _My mother_ the Ice Maiden Hina of Koorime, gave me one gift in a Ice-Gem Tear at my birth and at her death, _his_ sword." Hiei had certainly caught the interest in the Doctor with his claim he frowned, and used his fingers to count – though whatever math he was using only played in his mind.

"The last person that used _that sword_ on this side of the dimension barrier was King Arthur of the round table himself – that sword I'd know anywhere, Excalibur. Get it? Lady of the Lake – Ice Maiden?" The Doctor grins with flourish, enjoying the mania he unleashes; Hiei gives him a look full of doubt and accusation. His burning ember gaze demands: _Fix this, now!_

"My _point_ being!" The Doctor cries out above them, pleased when a hush descends, "that the Ancients must have hoped their own descendents would use the sword to kill each other – the sword Excalibur prevents those who die at it's blade from becoming Ascended, as well as making those who are Ascended as mortal as we are. It'll keep the Master from influencing us _directly_." The Master, after all, had been right to shy away from the sword Hiei wore with causal ease.

"Now, a moment please." The Doctor turned to Rose, standing behind him a little, he tucked her safely under his arm and went into the TARDIS with a spring in his long legged steps, the old girl smartly shutting the door firmly after them.

"Doctor, what's all that about?" Rose asked once safely at the control counsel, the Heart of the TARDIS beneath her feet.

"You know how I've always said I'm the last old Time Lord from Gallifrey proper?" The Doctor fiddled with a knob not daring to meet her eyes yet.

"Yeah?" Rose prompted, a _told-you-so_ giddy grin stretching her lips.

"I'm not, well, not _yet_ – it's the Master, Rose – we've got a long bad history. One I'd rather have saved you the misery of seeing, even with him being the way he is – Ascended, he says he died – and I was there, but it hasn't happened for me yet, and if I can save him…" The Doctor choked back words, not even aware until he said it that _that_ had been what he wanted to do, longed for with both his hearts. It felt like being torn in two, for the Master was so clearly mad, had always been a bit worse-insane then the Doctor himself; they were both mad at the core, but they courted different sides of good and grey, and the Master had no firm fondness for humans to keep him going.

"We'll do it, Doctor – we'll save him, if anyone can – I know it'd be you." The belief in him shining in her eyes bolstered his spirits, gave him a course to point north to, so he'd not be lost in this path he'd chosen without logic.

The Doctor gave her a manic grin, but didn't get the chance to speak – for someone else had beaten him to it.

"How noble of you," Daniel Jackson looked around the inside of the TARDIS with renewed interest, as if he hadn't seen it all once before. Or perhaps he saw it now for what it was, as few others could.

There was, after all, only one way Daniel Jackson could be standing with them so calmly. It was an eerie serenity that seemed to drag down his humanity, he shined with inhuman light.

"Daniel…" Rose gapped, tears shining in her eyes, for she knew what she saw meant – and the Doctor tried to remember if Rose had stood beside him when he'd been told why Jonas was where Daniel belonged.

"What are you doing here, Daniel?" The Doctor asked, letting Rose lean her weight against him, least she loose her footing entirely.

"I ought to be asking the same of you, Doctor – you don't _belong_ here. You never have. When I was alive, we were so impressed with you; it's true that we've seen so little of what the universe has to offer by Stargate, and we saw aliens claiming the mantle of gods and goddesses worshiped by humans three millennia in the dust, of technologies and cities build by lost races. All that was _out there_ to find, never before had an alien nine hundred years old or so went in search of us on Earth, in all things he came in a blue _police_ box – is humanity so pathetic to you, Doctor? That they, we – _we_ need to be policed by you?" Yet there was no rage in Daniel, as if being Ascended had stolen emotion as it could not steal words.

"Daniel, I thought you'd stop by sooner or later, brilliant that you're still…around." The Doctor whirled his finger in the air, smiling. He made no answer to any accusation Daniel made, hw would be damned if he did. His motives were his own, and he had had only the lost Gallifrey to answer to – now R'Gallifrey might take up that task, and good wishes for their luck.

"You can imagine that the Others, the Ascended and Ancient, are now paying full attention to you, Doctor. You are telling _them_ things they aren't yet ready to know." At that "them" Daniel motioned toward Rose, who whipped her eyes and glared.

"Don't you say that to the Doctor – he's _trying_ , which is more then I can say for you, for your Others, after all isn't the Master a _Ascended_ playing with human reality? Your are the Ascended, you should be _dealing with the Master_ – not him, my Doctor!" Rose stomped her foot, and though it was a childish gesture, it charmed the Doctor, who didn't quite know what to make of them, was it only passion in her belief in him that motivated her words, or her love of him. He smiled at her, and a flush came to her cheeks, brightened by her blonde hair. It was very fetching.

"The Doctor disrupts everything, it is his nature." Daniel did not quite sneer, but the look in his eyes was full of white hot fury.

"Oh, _bullocks_ , I'm beating that the Alteran are the stronger faction among the Ascended, and that the Alteran still honor the old alliance with the Time Lords, while the Master does not…I also think you are all _cowards_ , these humans rightly label you their Ancients, but you observe and watch over them, no interfering or favoring or caring, which is the _human_ thing to do! You deny your humanity, and you think that natural and healthy, you think _that's_ what being Ascended means?" The Doctor was full of scorn and he let it show.

"The Ancients love humanity, don't you see – _all of humanity_ – infested by _Goa_ _'_ _uld_ or no!" Daniel protested, stepping forward – the Doctor gave no ground.

"And what of the "demons" they locked away? Their own children by _humanity's_ and Alteran blood?" The Doctor grasped Daniel's wrist, and his own eyes widened – that he _could_ be gripped, and that the Doctor had dared to do it.

"The real reason the Ascended won't act is out of fear – _ask_ about what Merlin was working on, eh? Use a _little_ of that brilliant _human_ curiosity." Daniel narrowed his eyes at the Doctor's words, but met the Time Lord's eyes and nodded slowly in understanding, easily the Doctor let go, the Ascended hand slipping though his own.

Daniel was gone from sight, but on the Doctor's mind.

"What was that?" Rose asked, baffled at what she'd seen the Doctor do and say.

"A seed of doubt being planted." The Doctor's grin was without mercy.


	24. The Doctor Behind the MaiKai Door

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently saw The End of Time; prior to this chapter I had not. Several things surprised and delighted me by fitting into this story quite by accident, chiefly, Time Lord's evidently can Ascend, and the open ending to the Master falling into the void against the Time Lords.
> 
> So that's "my" Master, a Ascended one – how he got that way, and what he's doing troubling the 9th Doctor, well, that – I guess, is where I write it into play.
> 
> \----
> 
> "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
> 
> Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

_"Sure, I don't see why not – I just need to make a phone call." Yuusuke mimicked dialing with his fingers, and Jack O'Neill grinned and led him away from underneath the eyes of Hammond and his fellow soldiers, smooth as silk, the Doctor found himself grateful – it was clear enough that Yuusuke, Demon King or not, was still a teenager and squirmed discomfort at adult attention drawing to him in the spotlight._

_"Why haven't we heard about you before now, from these interviews?" The Doctor heard Jack ask, and Yuusuke's softer, subdued and embarrassed answer:_

_"I asked them not to, I grew up in this realm, and a country is hard enough for a government to handle – but the whole world on my shoulders? No thanks."_

* * *

"That's…surprisingly smart of you. Most would think a demon would _want_ to rule the world, and you're…" Jack had led the teenager though the underground labyrinth of SGC, all cement walls and military uniform doors and halls; still, Yuusuke's eyes wandered over the place as if it fascinated him, to the point where Jack was sure the kid wasn't listening and let his voice fade into the silence filling between them.

" _Young_ …A little too young to be ruling anything, aren't I?" Yuusuke's eyes tilted toward him, a grin snaking over his lips. It proved that as intrigued with his surroundings as Yuusuke was, he was willing to listen to an old man too. Jack grinned back, aware how odd he felt to have a kinship with this boy right off, this wasn't how he usually was – but then time traveling Doctor's weren't the usual even in the SGC. But then, Daniel had often pointed out that Jack had his blind spots – a soft spot for kids; and while Yuusuke wasn't that young, he wasn't an _adult_ either. It made a difference.

"Nah, that's not what I meant, you are young, sure – but who wouldn't give something stupid for that youth when you're wise enough to use it and know better? I meant, you have a sort of leadership – your demon friends, they follow you – wouldn't hesitate to fight for you, maybe die for you – that sort of loyalty requires your own character be put on the line for them. I think, demon right or not, you're a natural born leader." Jack should know, he was a military man, but Yuusuke didn't seem pleased with the compliment, he seemed even more troubled by its implications.

"So is this your way of thanking me for _not_ trying to take over and rule the world?" There should be a grin, but Yuusuke's eye upon him was a jolt of solemn inhumanity, in those dark eyes you could see inhuman –demon - instincts that warred with youth and humanity. Yuusuke wasn't human, Jack could feel it in his bones with that look to prove it. Still, Yuusuke played the part of a human – and that sort of acting deserved every acknowledgement: if Jack could see it, he had no doubt that Yuusuke knew he'd seen that cold inhumanity - even had _let_ him see it, trusted him with that subtle truth, a secret of how Yuusuke fought himself for humanities sake.

Jack didn't say anything for a long while as they walked stark halls, he left the silence lap at them, lulling them – and every moment the silence closed in, and Yuusuke grew more withdrawn and unsure of what Jack would do with him, with the truth of his birth – he didn't tense, prepared to react come what may. It was up to Jack what to do; the ball in his court, so to speak. Jack could admire that, so he tossed an easy grin over his shoulder – eyes full of fond mischief.

"Pretty much, yeah." Yuusuke's shrug was a smooth ripple of movement, an ease of gesture and grace no human could mimic. It wasn't a human Jack had at his side, and Yuusuke had forced him to face that, to deal with it, and damned if Jack wasn't a little bit impressed with how Yuusuke had done it.

"Well, for what it's worth, you're welcome – and once I let the demons loose on Earth, I'll try to rein them back into Hell." _No guarantees_ went unspoken. Who knew what would happen once that can of worms was loose? That their "King" on Earth was admitting that, was giving a promise of what could be done, would – for the sake of humanity, was enough for now. Jack could put faith in it, in the word of this child King of demons.

"Thanks." Given that there was no sure reason to think that Yuusuke would survive this any better off then the rest of them, which was the sort of reassurance Jack O'Neill could accept. He gestures to the phone on General Hammond's desk. To his surprise, it rings – and with a wink to Jack, Yuusuke picks it up.

"Yo, Koenma." Yuusuke's voice is easy and teasing, full of mirth despite what he's about to ask – and whoever he's speaking to has had some surveillance on them, to call into SGC with such ease. It makes Jack's skin crawl, that this individual would keep such a keen eye on them that he or she would know the moment Yuusuke had had the phone pointed out to him; that they would dare call in to speak with Yuusuke alone. It wasn't human, it was eerily beyond human ability – and if Yuusuke wasn't human, he wasn't as removed from his humanity as this Koenma, of that Jack was sure.

To Jack's surprise, he could hear the response with ease – as if the voice didn't come from the phone at all, but filled the air of the room around them.

"Yuusuke, first – welcome back, second – _what do you think you're doing_?" Jack kept his face carefully bland, this voice, for all its frightening power, sounding like a little boy.

"Koemna, Koenma, we've been over this – I don't work for you anymore." Yuusuke's dark eyes glinted with humor and deeper depths.

"There are _rules_ Yuusuke, there have to be rules for law and order to hold a balance here – and there; what affects one realm echoes into the other!" Yuusuke rolled his eyes skyward, as if this was a lecture he'd heard many times before.

"Which is why this needs to be done – humanity is going to lose alone on Earth, it's only a matter of the Goa'uld facing the Youkai now, or later. Further, neither will have a choice – if humanity faces both Youkai and Goa'uld, or the Goa'uld face humanity and for the first time a demon army allied with humans." Yuusuke stuck close to logic and for a long while there was a silence that hovered over them – Jack knew the silences that filled between people; this silence held a weight of history between Koenma and Yuusuke.

"What of the Master? He's Ascended, we – we _can't stop him_." Koenma wailed it, a plea for help from an entity that was both a child, and powerful enough to think spying upon Yuusuke in the SGC was within its right; and likely controlled something of the realm that mirrored Earth.

"We will: patch me though to Yomi, Koenma." There was a sullen silence, and the line went dead – or something, for Yuusuke put the phone in its cradle. Jack had the feeling that the phone call had only been for show – and that Yuusuke wasn't done. What happened next, Jack would tell Sam of later, and leave the science of it to her.

A hole opened up in the air in front of Yuusuke's face, he seemed to expect it – for he's grin was reckless when he saw it.

What looked back at him, as if some sort of twisted mirror was surely a demon: six horns crowned its head in even spaces, one to each side of his forehead, and six pointed ears in a pair of three - two at the top and the third hanging like an ear lobe, a fully pointed ear. Black hair fell from its skull and flowed down to its shoulders in a smooth cascade – its eyes were closed, as if at rest.

Jack suddenly didn't – _never, in fact_ – wanted to see those eyes open, looking at him – watching and aware, of him.

Yuusuke grinned at this sinister demon, fully of mischief and challenge and a heedless, reckless – delight, in the adrenalin that woke within his blood.

"Yomi!" Yuusuke greeted first, perhaps to be polite. Yomi tilted his head, as if to acknowledge hearing the youth.

"Yuusuke, is this in business or pleasure?" The words were playful, Yomi's lips curled into a pleasant smile.

"I need a Youkai Army. We've got trouble on Earth – there are these Goa'uld…" Yuusuke ceased to speak, as if puzzling over how to explain, and Yomi's nostrils flared, as if scenting something unexpected.

"I know of what you speak. More so, my spies speak of stranger things – a Master that breaches the barrier with a weapon to unite the realms." Yomi's disgust at this was clear, and Yuusuke clearly shared it. _Territory_ , Jack reminded himself: it was not only Earth and a mirror realm at stake, it was demon territory. And no human knew what demon instinct said to do about demon territory being challenged or changed or "united".

"Yes." Yuusuke's own revulsion was no secret, plain to hear.

"I will send you an Army, under the command ofShura and Mukuro. When the Goa'uld are no longer a threat – they will return." It was not a question, and Yuusuke – equal in his own right to this demon, did not protest the claim, the command, and so agreed by his silence.

"What will you do now, Yuusuke?" If Jack was not very much mistaken there was something like fondness in Yomi's voice.

"Probably something stupid." Yuusuke admitted with his own grudging fondness for this King of Demons. Yomi's nod was a formality, an ending to this meeting and an approval in support if ever Yuusuke had needed to remember it.

The hole in the air closed like an eye blinking.

Jack, thinking that was that, and an end to it for now, turned to leave the room – gesturing almost absently for Yuusuke to follow. Jack found himself face to face with two doors, where before there had only been one door – the entrance and exit both – but the second door, it was black and bold against white concrete. Yuusuke put his hand on Jack's shoulder, but Jack needed no such contact to take a step back as the door opened. He didn't know what he expected – giants? – trolls? – orcs? But none of those was the first to step through the door that flung wide to open, and at its threshold was a boy that wouldn't come up to Yuusuke's waist, he was small and delicate looking with a pointed horn at the top of his head and pointed ears, black hair and big brown eyes that took in everything then focused on Yuusuke with narrow minded intensity.

Then he grinned to split his face, that little boy did.

"Reporting for duty, sir!" Yuusuke did not laugh at him, letting Jack into a joke as he might hope, though when Jack looked over his shoulder to be sure that this boy was serious, Yuusuke's eyes shined.

"Welcome, Shura, to Earth." Very solemnly spoken, as if this were a great public court and not a secret underground military base in Cheyenne Mountain, behind Shura came a woman with red brown hair a vial covered half her face and something like a lens covered where her eye ought to be, and a wire ran down her neck from where her ear could be. Whatever rescores the demon's had; they were then not without some knowledge of technology.

"Mukuro." Yuusuke nodded to her, but she gave no visible acknowledgement of him beyond scanning the room and stepping aside from the door – then from behind her came others, and Jack _saw_ them but something in his mind refused to remember their appearance beyond a focus for little details that would later startle him with their vividness when he least expected.

Demons after all, can be remembered in the dark.

Jack dared not count their numbers, but when the blur of shapes were gone, it was Yuusuke he faced – and the Doctor, and Kurama and Hiei watching him from beside Shura and Mukuro.

"Are you alright?" Yuusuke asked him, softly at his ear. Jack nodded, feeling grateful for the small favor – his daze had gone unnoticed, and he wondered how people like him were supposed to fight beside demons – let alone the lingering threat of someday fighting them for Earth. Jack nodded sharply; his eyes going to the Doctor who eyed the door in turn with a fascination Jack wasn't sure was for good or ill.

"Well, this explains it." The Doctor murmured absently, his attention clearly elsewhere.

A single long finger caressed the edges of the door. Jack wasn't sure he was imagining hearing a song beyond that door.

"Come along, we'd best be going." The Doctor called over his shoulder to them, not turning to look.

Yuusuke nodded, and then turned to Jack, as if this young man thought he owed him some favor, in telling him what he was going to.

"Hiei and Kurama will stay on this side, Yomi has worked with Kurama, and Mukuro trusts Hiei – between the three of them and Shura, I trust Earth couldn't be in safer hands." Yuusuke told him quickly – but not quietly enough by far, and by the narrowing eyes of his friends this was the first they'd had of his decision to go to the Youkai realm without them.

"Not without me, you're not." Rose stated from the door – the only real door in what should be a commander's office.

"Very good." The Doctor looked to her with a wide smile, it was brilliant.

The Doctor took Rose by the hand and led her though the door, Jack O'Neill had a sense that there was no where safer (or more dangerous) for her then by the Doctor's side. Yuusuke looked after them, and put his back to the door, looking to Hiei and Kurama a final time; Hiei's hand was tucked into a white knuckled fist, and Kurama looked too furious to say a word.

There was no way past Yuusuke without him seeing them coming and being able to put a stop to it.

"I'll be back." Yuusuke gave a wave, the door between them slammed on his own face – it rung closed like a church bell, with the finality of the grave.

Firmly on the other side, Yuusuke took a step back from empty air.

"Of the three of us, I know Mai-Kai best, but you know the Master - where do you think we should go? Yuusuke asked of the Doctor, who had turned around to see the parting of ways.

The Doctor turned his eyes downward from the hill crest they stood on, below stretched a forest, a village and a field.

He inhales, in the silence a drum beats.

"Follow me." The Doctor demands of them, and looks much like a long legged warrior as he runs rushing full tilt down the hill and into the field.

There are no questions when Rose and Yuusuke follow him.


	25. The Doctor's Excalibur

"Well, well, what have we here? So nice to see you!" The Master exclaims at the sight of the Doctor (for it is the Doctor he's speaking to) even with Yuusuke and Rose at either elbow's side. It looks to Yuusuke as if they are expected, for there is a drum in front of the Master and it reminds Yuusuke of ancient ways used to communicate – and of drumming for storms in a dry season.

The Master has done both, for there is the fury of the oncoming storm stirring on the Doctor's features.

"Wish I could say the same." Rose spits out the words as if they burn, and her spitfire personality catches the Master's attention. He quirks a blond brow and smirks down at her. He is lean and mean looking in a business matter-of-fact way that makes Yuusuke's skin crawl.

His is not the only reaction, from the look Rose tosses him.

"You're new?" The Master mutters, frowning. It's as if he expects there to be gaps in his memory.

"She's not." The Doctor declares, and Rose gives him a fond if confused look.

"You're too late." The Master dismisses the matter of Rose, waving a hand absently, cradled in his other is the ZPM. It glows and throbs like a heart beat dying. Yuusuke has his eyes glued on it, as if the sheer force of his will in the look might stop it from unraveling the Maikai into Ningenkai.

"The Goa'uld are being dealt with." Is instead what Yuusuke says, and the Master looks to him, frowning at the possibilities his words present.

"How?" He asks, suspiciously.

"I am the Demon King of Earth, I invited them." Yuusuke smiles as he speaks, and the Master shakes his head as his logic struggles to make sense of demon instinct. The Master, no matter his personality or beliefs, is a Time Lord – on Gallifrey there were logic to laws for everything – it was quite the reverse of the MaiKai, where the only laws were forged by the strongest of ancient demons _._

"To do what?" The Master asks at last, dreading his answer.

"To side with the humans, against Goa'uld." Yuusuke nods toward Rose, who smiles at him – showing the Master, in person, that humans and demons are more then capable of cooperating.

"It won't last – demons are meant to inherit the Earth." The Master argues, pouting like a child even as he cradles the ZPM in his arms.

"They won't, not ever – not without me. You do not know what it means to them, to be a King of Demons." The Master can see how sure Yuusuke is of this, and he chuckles, soft and sinister. Very obviously, the Master sets down the ZPM, the Doctor draws in a breath – and when the Master wags his finger warningly, says nothing – does nothing.

The Master walks to Yuusuke, meeting him eye to eye, face to face, for really the first time both take this meeting personally. Yuusuke is still and ready to attack – the Master rolls his eyes at how predictable it would be, but touches Yuusuke on the shoulder – surprised when he doesn't flinch, he speaks.

"Then you will just have to come with me and change their minds, right?" Yuusuke's eyes swiftly go to the Doctor, who nods, and Yuusuke focuses on the Master once more.

"Right." The Master takes Yuusuke, leaving behind the ZPM for the Doctor and Rose – a temptation the Master knows the Doctor will not leave alone.

Yuusuke finds himself in the 'Gate room, with Kurama in front of him – and the Master behind. Kurama's eyes widen to see the Master and Yuusuke so soon and there is a snarl curling his lips.

"You all will listen." _The Master,_ Yuusuke thinks, _likes a little melodrama._

Still, Yuusuke gives the Master credit to be so bold as to address any part of the Army so lightly, not to mention Shura and Mukuro who are frowning to see Yuusuke in unfriendly hands. The hard grip on his shoulder is plain enough language to the Master's meaning.

"Where is Hiei?" Yuusuke asks lightly of Kurama.

He pays for it when the Master shakes him with nonhuman strength, and snarls into his ear.

"One last chance..." Is his whisper and Yuusuke swallows and nods as if he's agreeing. Like thunder and lightning the Army shifts and murmurs, awakening to what they perceive to be a more immediate threat to a Demon King then what is above their heads.

Yuusuke catches Shura's eye.

"Earth is off limits." The Master throws him aside in disgust, and Yuusuke lets himself fall. His shoulder hits painfully against concrete that hides a mountain's strength. There is a sudden cry of rage which Yuusuke realizes, dazed – is Hiei. He looks to see the black shadow leap upon the Master – and in the Master's shoulder is the blade the Doctor named Excalibur.

Yuusuke smiles- it's a glorious, that sight, for the Master who was Ascended is now mortal. At his mercy.

Yuusuke stands and when Hiei would plunge Excalibur into the Master again, he raises his hand – and Hiei, wild eyed though he is - stops.

"Let's save the last of two Time Lords for the Doctor, eh?" Yuusuke suggests, and here his word is Law, and the Master's eyes widen in disbelief when Hiei nods thoughtfully, sheathing the blade and allowing Mukuro to stand beside him as the Master's guard.

Yuusuke is still smiling when the Master looks to him, and Yuusuke thinks – maybe, the Master knows a little what it means to be Demon King.

"Right – let's take business, eh, what do you say Shura?" Yuusuke turns to the littlest and youngest demon, who puffs up in pride at being addressed as the co-King of this Army on Yuusuke's home turf.

The kid's grin is positively devious, and Yuusuke has a blissful moment of almost feeling _bad_ for the Goa'uld who Jack O'Neill has told him so much about. The moment passes and he is ruthless for slacking the bloodlust that rushes though him with adrenaline.

The Doctor kneels in the dirt of MaiKai, finding it not very much different from the dirt of Earth. His touch skims over the ZPM, and he seals his lips against the urge to curse in frustration. He is over nine-hundred years old, thank you very much, and cursing wastes _time_.

"What's it look like?" Rose asks softly, her hand on his shoulder as she crouches next to him, feeling both helpless and useless.

"He's triggered it to go." The Doctor doesn't have to say that when it goes it will take this place with it.

"Is there a way to stop it?" Rose asks, though it's a useless question and not helpful at all. The Doctor doesn't answer, so it's just as well that she asked. A shadow passes over them, and it isn't just a figure of speech or frame of mind – Rose looks up and gasps as the creature makes a noise.

"Puu!" It stretches down its swan like neck, as if to take a closer look at the ZPM, blue feathers bristling and black hair somehow familiar in its wild way.

" _Doctor_! What is it?" Rose asks urgently, and the Doctor grins at it.

"Hello there, I'm the Doctor – who are you?" Big black eyes regard him, and the answer is trumpeted though a beak that could no doubt to damage.

"Puu." It says more softly, if a little more urgently.

"I'll tell you what you _look_ like, a Sprit Beast – but who would be so significant to have a _phoenix_ for one?" The Doctor asks of it, as if he expects an answer, and great black eyes roll upward toward the sky.

"Puu…Puu…" Another look at the sky, as if in hint.

"Sounds like…" Rose starts to say, her lips shaping "Puu" and "sky", " _Yuu_ suke?"

"Puu!" It's triumphant, and Rose grins before faltering.

She shares a look with the Doctor, who tries to explain what's happening – and maybe Rose thinks, that's it's why the Spirit Beast – _Yuusuke's_ Spirit Beast at that! – is here. To help.

"It's dangerous for you here – you have to go, go to Yuusuke, okay? This thing," the Doctor taps on the ZPM, uselessly, "is going to blow up and take this whole world with it." Puu ducks his head in understanding, and flops his ears – the Doctor sighs softly and gets up, giving into temptation to touch the Spirit Beast.

His fingers are snapped at, and instinctively the Doctor jerks back landing with his bum in the dirt.

"No!" The Doctor shouts in warning, for all the good it does – which is none.

He watches in disbelief as Puu swallows the ZPM – eats it as if it's some seed to be plucked out of the dirt. The Doctor yells out a warning- attempting to stand and stop him, but Puu flies swiftly upward. Soon he's out of sight, a blue speck in a blue sky.

The explosion, when it happens, ripples through the air and trees like a giant's sigh – a breeze they barely feel.

Rose puts her hand to her throat, looking hopefully skyward. She thinks that _nothing_ could live though that sort of explosion tearing though them, but there might be something to bring to Yuusuke – some blue feather, maybe.

What she sees is a blue speck falling swiftly from a sky gone white with storm clouds.

"Doctor, look!" The Doctor had been standing with bowed head and respectful sorrow that Rose could understand; this was Yuusuke's Spirit Beast – not some pet. The Doctor's eyes follow her finger where she points. His cheeks wet with tears, his eyes widen.

"Catch it, we must catch it!" The Doctor urgently pulls her toward the falling blue bit which gets bigger as she watches.

What follows next is a bit like dancing in a field, only with shouts and running and arm waving.

It ends in success – Rose reaches up in a stretch in enfolds her hands over a little blue body folded into a protective ball.

"A baby?" Rose wonders thinking of the proud blue phoenix and wondering if this is the something it left behind for Yuusuke. A fuzzy bit of black rests on the blue feathers, and Rose tickles it attentively. Yellow feet wiggle and the blue body unfolds to reveal big black eyes and little arms and big flapping ears.

"Puu!" It greets and claims in one word.

"No – the two are one and the same." The Doctor sighs, as if he'd been holding his breath. He tickles the little Puu under its chin, this time it allows the touch willingly.

"If this Spirit Beast had died – so too would have Yuusuke." The Doctor explains, and Rose catches her breath from where it tugs in her chest. Rose understands now, those tears the Doctor had shed – had she known, she would have cried too.

"He seems to like you now." Rose says, and the Doctor grins back at her.

"Come on; let's go see how Yuusuke and my TARDIS are doing!" The Doctor pulls her along gently for the sake of what's in her arms, but it's just what they do all the same with no less urgency for which and when they came to MaiKai.

It isn't hard to get out, there are paths that the Doctor senses leading out – and they follow one, and Rose realizes that soon nature will do what the ZPM could not – one day, demons and humans will be forced to live together on Earth – but she is grateful it didn't happen _this_ day.

For once, the Doctor finds it all calm on Earth – if calm it can be called, when it looks like the aftermath of a storm had passed. It's a bit of a hike though the mountains to get to the military base that tucks the 'Gate beneath its weight and height.

"A perfect defense is a natural one." The Doctor greets the men that let them though and down. They are expected, is the only confused response.

Rose hides Puu behind her hair, and when they are greeted off the elevator, Yuusuke is waiting for them.

"I've got a surprise for you!" Rose and Yuusuke say as one.

"Oh?" Yuusuke wonders, eyebrows raised in mirth and good humor that come to all demons after a fight.

"Puu!" Exclaims the excitable bundle of blue feathers, with flapping blue ears and wiggling yellow feet: Yuusuke's look is soft and his smile full of awe as he takes in the sight of his Spirit Beast.

"Oh!" He greets softly, ruffling black hair so like his own.

"Mine's bigger." Yuusuke tells the Doctor with a smirk. He gestures and from the gathered Army (a mix of both demon and human) Hiei comes forward with Mukuro, behind them – in chains – is the Master with a smile for the Doctor, waving hand by wiggling fingers.

"Ta-da." Yuusuke says dryly.

"Thank you." The Doctor is serious, and Yuusuke only nods in understanding.

"What about out there, what we saw before?" Yuusuke asks, following – or leading – the Doctor to where the TARDIS rests.

"The _Enterprise_ of humanity will rise from the ashes." The Doctor says with a wink that means everything – Yuusuke grins outright, but Hiei and Kurama exchange looks as if they will keep a better eye on Yuusuke from now on – no matter if he likes it or not.

Hiei steps boldly forward, his sward the Excalibur offered.

"I give it to you." The Doctor takes it, showing none of the distaste he feels for weapons.

"I hear drums, the drums of war!" The Master mumbles under his breath, like lullaby grinning.

"None of that now..." Mukuro warns, with a literal yank on his chain to pass over the Master to the Doctor. The Doctor takes this burden too, with no word, and paying no attention to the look that passes between Rose and the Master.

"Here." Rose offers Puu back, but Yuusuke shakes his head with a small smile.

"Nah, he likes you two. I try to keep him happy; you'll take care of him?" Yuusuke asks of the Doctor, who nods looking fondly down at the bundle of blue feathers.

"Of course I will." Puu coos at the Doctor with a soft "puu". It seems to promise the same.

Satisfied, Yuusuke turns around, waving over his shoulder dismissively with a smile that hurts them to see – he doesn't want to see them go. Hiei and Kurama follow him out, and it seems to signal the Army that they too should leave for Shura claps his hands together and a door opens out of the wall that was only concrete and mountain. He, this time – is the first one thought, and the Doctor wonders what the demon child, heir to all of MaiKai will tell Yomi of all this.

They file though, a blur of demon Army. The Doctor is glad to see them go – as glad as he was to see them come here, in fact.

Mukuro is the last though the door, and never turns her back to them – so she sees when the Master blows her a kiss. Her expression – if it changes – is hidden by the slamming door which fades behind her.

"Bye, kid, take care of yourself, you hear me?" Jack O'Neill demands of Rose, taking the young woman into a hug she's clearly surprised and pleased by.

Teal'c nods his head in solemn agreement, the gesture as noble as any bow.

Sam Carter is the only one to smile, at Jack's gruff show of affection – but she nudges the Doctor with her shoulder to get his attention.

"Thank you for everything, and – well – come back someday, yeah?" The Doctor nods, a manic grin that almost makes Sam want to take back her words lights up his face. The Doctor, after all, is rarely invited back.

General Hammond nods to Rose – and salutes the Doctor, a gesture that's returned with no grin at all.

"Now you're done?" The Master asks, whining and rattling his chains inside the safety of the TARDIS.

The Doctor closes the door, and the last person he sees is Jonas Quinn – and the Doctor wonders what Daniel Jackson is doing among the Ascended Ancients with the seed of doubt the Doctor had planted and watered.

The Doctor sets the Excalibur aside, and goes to the TARDIS consul; it lights up at his touch and spins into space and time, no firm distention yet in mind.

Rose watches as the Doctor frees the Master of his chains, and then takes up Excalibur once more – he looks at the blade and how it glistens under the faintest of light. Puu waddles on the floor toward the door, a sign that the Doctor agrees with.

It feels wrong here – wrong in his hands.

The Doctor lets it go out the TARDIS door, the sword spinning out of sight, end over end, until it's out of sight, a twinkling light like any other star out there.

"Now why did you go and do something like that?" The Master, free of chains, but within the ever watchful TARDIS, asks of the Doctor.

"Who knows? You find humanity in the oddest of people…" The Doctor says with a shrug for his oldest friend and fiend.

**Author's Note:**

> Big thank you to Stoko for making suggestions on how to improve the flow of this chapter.


End file.
